The Sound of Silence
by Silver as the Rain
Summary: When you cannot use your voice, how do you speak? For Megumi Akiyama it is through her music. Music is her passion and through it she conveys her emotions as she is too shy to speak. Under her father's strict guidance, Megumi is entered into an engagement with none other than Kyoya Ootori! How will this hasty match work out? Who knows, but somehow, Megumi will find a way.
1. Chapter 1

My name is Megumi Akiyama. I am a first year high school student at Ouran Academy, a prestigious school which I am honoured to attend. I am small for my age, rather reedy and I have freckles on my nose which make me extremely self-conscious, as well as the fact that I wear glasses with thick frames which seem to swallow my entire face. My hair is a plain mousey brown and straight, with a fringe cut to slightly cover my eyes which were a simple shade of green, nothing extraordinary.

It is very nice to meet you.

By first appearances, I suppose one might presume that I was a simple minded girl who preferred the company of books and fictional characters to real people. If so, then those guesses would be correct. I do not like people, they make me nervous when they try to talk to me. So much so that I struggle to breathe and my tongue seizes up. It is a strange affliction and one I am not yet able to cure, but I have been trying my best.

Since I find it difficult to interact with people my own age, I do not really have any friends, but that's something I do not mind, I prefer my own company anyway. Everyone around me was perfectly kind and seemed very sympathetic to my shyness, so left me to myself though they would occasionally greet me in passing and I would rather awkwardly make a gesture or squeak of some kind before hastily moving on.

Keeping my head bowed I hurried into class where the room was thankfully empty, allowing me to walk over to my seat by the window where I could open it slightly then sit down to eat my packed lunch. It was not common for people with high social standing to bring lunch with them to such a wealthy and illustrious school but I simply could not handle all those other people in the canteen and worrying about having to find a seat when there might not be one. Here it was safer.

Pressing my hands together I silently thanked the universe for the meal before I tucked in, taking dainty bites as I opened up one of my revision books and began to study whilst I ate. What I lacked in social abilities I gained in intellect. I found it rather easy to remember things and my observational skills were rather sharpened through years of sitting outside of circles and simply watching. It is rather amazing how much you can learn about people, and humans in general, by simply observing whilst not participating.

Nevertheless, studying was something that calmed and relaxed me, so I studied often. In my class I was at the top because of my good grades and I was happy to continue my stance there as it pleased my parents. Particularly my father and he was someone I did not wish to displease. Since I am his only child, there is much that rests on my shoulders with the inheritance.

My father was a brilliant scientist, one of the greatest of this century and was always working to develop his next project, though he never disclosed the personal details to his family. Everything was kept very quiet and discreet for obvious reasons. In any case, because he was such an important figure, his work could not go to waste but he had no son to hand over the profits to. Just me. He had made it very well known that he would have preferred a son, so had elected to take my cousin Hideki, the son of my father's brother, under his wing to raise him as the sole heir.

That meant that father was very much occupied and spent very little time at home, however I did have my own suspicions upon what he was attempting to develop. Most likely it would be something to help make my mother better from her illness. It had been troubling her for quite some time and although they told me it wasn't anything terminal, my mother went through phases of gradually getting better to steadily getting worse. It was difficult to watch and even harder to know she was suffering.

No. I cannot think that way. I must stay positive. Father loves mother, I know he loves her very much so he will be doing all in his power to help make her better. I must simply put my faith in him. Taking a slightly larger mouthful of my lunch I turned the page to my book, absorbing the information into my mind, however as I became so engrossed in my learning I did not hear the door open until I sensed someone was there so I quickly looked up.

"Sorry, I didn't realise someone was still here." The boy apologised, giving a polite bow. "I was just looking somewhere quiet to study but the library is full and there is not many other places to go, plus it looks like it will rain." He noted with a gesture outside and I looked to see that storm clouds had indeed blanketed the sky. "Would you mind if I studied here for a little while? I'll be very quiet and not disturb you." He promised so I paused a little bit, already growing nervous at this person's presence but I felt rude to turn him away, so I nodded my head. "Thank you. My name is Haruhi. It's a pleasure to meet you, miss."

Knowing that it was only polite to give my name in return I opened my mouth however no words came out, it were as if they had been strangled from my throat like it was wrapped in a padlock and chain as it constricted and ran dry, causing me to give a tiny squeak before I forced a smile and nodded my head before hurriedly thrusting my face into my book to hide, not wanting the boy to see the heavy blush that now rested on my cheeks.

He was in the same year as I was, however we were in different classes. Haruhi Fujioka, a scholarship student. Everyone knew about Haruhi as he had recently joined the host club and had become a very popular figure with the other girls. With someone like him and his background, the others seemed to simply adore him because he was something they could dote on and he had very natural conversationalist skills. I had only seen him a rare handful of times, however I received the general impression from my observation that he was a kind person and very level headed. Also very bright, he was able to remain at the top of his own class through continuous study which he kept a strict adherence to.

Every so often I would glance up, however the longer we sat in silence the more comfortable I became. This wasn't so bad. Haruhi was so focused on his studies that he was not even interested in trying to engage in talk. Eventually I was so relaxed that I was able to continue with my own studying without a single flicker of attention his way until the bell rang to signal that classes were about to begin again. "I have to go now. Thank you for the company, I haven't been able to have so much peace and quiet in a long time." He gave me a rather adorable smile which made my heart flutter with warmth upon reaction as I smiled back instinctively, nodding my head affirmatively before turning back to my books.

Haruhi said a quick farewell as he gathered his things then left, so I looked back to watch him leave but just as he did so, I noticed something had fallen on the floor beside his seat. Rising up to my feet I approached then discovered that Haruhi had left his wallet behind so I quickly picked it up and opened the door, preparing to chase after him but by that time he was already gone and students were returning to class.

"Hello there Megumi-chan, is everything alright?" One of my classmates questioned and I gulped, trembling slightly as she and her several friends turned to me so I hurriedly nodded my head then scurried back to my seat, hiding Haruhi's wallet before I quietly slipped it into my bag. I know he will be at the host club so I will simply return it to him later. Surely I can manage that? It will be very simple, a test of my courage. I will go in, return his property and then leave as quickly as possible. I can do that much at the very least, right?

So with my daunting task looming ahead of me I sat in my class listening to the lessons and taking diligent notes, though my mind continued wondering to what lay ahead. Perhaps I can't do this, maybe I should simply pass a note and request someone else to do it for me, that might be a better option but then, who do I ask? This is wholly unnerving, I am not close enough with anyone to ask to be such a nuisance, it would be better if I simply did it myself.

I know! I will leave the wallet just outside the door so that someone _else_ will find it and then return it to Haruhi. Yes, that sounds like a much better idea. That way, I won't have to communicate with anyone and ultimately end up humiliating myself. Feeling tenfold brighter than I had done a moment ago, my mind could finally focus and with that, I waited for the end of the school day so that I could run to the host club room, drop off the wallet and then run away once more.


	2. Chapter 2

I cannot simply drop off the wallet.

This painfully frightening revelation had me in a panic as I gripped onto Haruhi's wallet until my fingers and knuckles were white. Whilst I had been gathering up my things, I had accidentally dropped the wallet again and it fell open, and when I picked it up I accidentally saw the identification inside, showing a picture of a pretty girl with long hair just like mine. A girl. Haruhi was a girl. A girl dressed as a boy who was part of the host club. If I left this wallet lying around then someone else surely would pick it up and then discover Haruhi's secret. Although I am not sure why she would conceal herself this way, I did not want to be so rude and expose her when she might have a very good reason for dressing as a boy.

Oh no, what do I do now? I can't just wait until tomorrow to try and find her on her own as she may need the money to get home. This is terrible, absolutely terrible. I'll have to give it to her in person so that no one else sees the wallet. Alright, I can be brave, all I have to do is knock on the door, hope that Haruhi answers and hand the wallet over. I can do this, I must try otherwise Haruhi may be stuck here overnight! Shaking my head I walked towards the Host Club room, music room three, and tried my best to slow down my breathing as my heart started to hammer in my chest.

I was trembling all over and as I lifted my tiny fist to knock on the door, it barely made a sound and I was already sweating buckets. For a moment there was no answer and I wondered if they had even heard me, but then the door handle started to shift downward and the door slid open. It was before hosting hours, but I knew from the chatter of the girls in my class that they met beforehand to prepare the room so I knew they would be here. As the door opened a flurry of petals were tossed at me and I jolted violently, retreating back a step as a group of strange and intimidating boys stood there waiting.

"Welcome princess." They greeted however I couldn't even open my eyes, clenched up tight as I stood in the doorway, unable to move.

"My greetings to you princess, have you lost your way? Do not fear, for I, Tamaki, will take the greatest of cares to protect your beautiful self from any and all that may cause you distress." A beautiful pale haired boy with the deepest blue eyes introduced himself rather flamboyantly, reaching out to take my hand but the moment I sensed him I squeaked and dropped to my knees whilst hunching over, clutching the wallet tightly into my chest and Tamaki froze, looking down at me in surprise. "Did you hurt yourself? Are you alright princess?"

"Does your tummy hurt a little? You can hold Usa-chan if you want!" I knew of Mitsukuni Haninozuka as he was a prestigious third year student who looked like he was still meant to be in junior school, yet he was actually the oldest of us all here. All the same, I couldn't even look at him, flinching away from the bunny which he thrust in my face. Please, please don't touch me, I don't want to talk anyone! Oh, where is Haruhi?

"Why's she acting all weird?" The twins from my year, Kaoru and Hikaru Hitachiin spoke at the same time, somehow having slid behind me and I tightened up further as they peered down at me curiously, everyone crowding around too close. "Who even is she? We've never seen her before."

"That is Megumi Akiyama, a first year student who achieves some of the best scores out of all students in first year, surpassing even Haruhi." I stiffened, freezing in place when I heard his voice. Kyoya Ootori, a boy who's family was closely connected to with mine. I had rarely seen him, but his father and his eldest son came to my father a few times to discuss business of sorts. I never went down to see them or join them for dinner, I stayed tucked away in my room where no one could see me. Kyoya was very bright, one of the cleverest in the entire school and his rather menacing presence made my blood freeze in my body.

"Oh I remember you, we met at lunchtime today in the classroom. We studied together." Hearing Haruhi's voice I finally lifted my head, blinking as she walked towards me with a warm smile that melted my frozen blood and allowed me to breathe easier. She was a girl, so I wasn't as frightened to interact with her, just a little nervous was all. "Are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost." Uncurling my hands from my chest I gulped down the lump in my throat then lifted up the wallet, producing it outward for Haruhi to see as I offered it back to her. Her eyes widened and instantly she reached out to take it. "My wallet! I didn't even know I dropped it. Thank you very much miss, that's really kind of you to bring it all the way back to me, here. Allow me to help you up."

Haruhi was so sweet and charming that I couldn't' help but warm to her a little as she reached out her hand and before I knew it, I was placing my fingers against her palm and she helped me to my feet as I exhaled, giving Haruhi a fair smile and she blinked at me, perhaps seeing that I was much calmer around her than I was the others as I leaned forwards a little, giving her a nod of my head to try and express that she was more than welcome. "You don't talk very much, do you?" The twins questioned, their voices directly next to my ears and instantly I was violently shivering, the jolt of fear shooting up my spin and I hurriedly whirled around, trying to retreat away from them but my dress caught on my heel and I tripped, making to fall to the ground.

"Hey! Look out!" Haruhi dove for me with quick reflexes however she wasn't strong enough to catch my falling weight and we both landed on the ground, though she had cushioned my fall and was holding my arms to try and keep me from hitting my head. "Please, don't be so afraid. They may act like strange people most of the time but they're completely harmless." Haruhi reassured me, giving another pretty smile and I almost blushed. She was a very cute looking girl even though she made a passable boy.

"Meg-chan, you fell down again. Do you need cake to make you feel better?" Mitsukuni questioned but as he hopped closer I lifted my arm, fear flashing through my eyes and I breathed heavily, scrambling backwards as Haruhi stood up and hid behind her, my fingers holding onto her shoulders as I made myself as small as possible behind her.

"Oh no! She's using my Haruhi as a shield! Please princess, don't be so shy, come away from Haruhi before another accident occurs." Tamaki panicked, flustered and a little red as he reached forwards to reclaim Haruhi but the moment I saw him coming closer I lifted my arms to protect my head upon natural instinct, tears beginning to slide down my face and I dropped to the floor again. I want to go home now, this was all just too much for me to handle. These boys were scary, especially that tall intimidating one standing next to Mitsukuni, Takashi Morinozuka. He frightened me the most. However now that I had broken down and started crying, everyone was just staring at me. This was so embarrassing, I have to run away before they start to tease me and taunt me like the other boys do.

Surging to my feet I hid my face in my hands and bolted for the door, somehow managing to find it despite not looking and I yanked it shut behind me, wanting to escape as quickly as possible so I bolted for the stairs, ignoring the protests and calls of my name behind me by several voices. They asked me to stop and give them a few moments but I continued running, refusing to stop until I had left the school and was racing towards the car that waited for me. The driver was used to me running up crying and didn't even ask what was wrong anymore. He just closed the door behind me and drove off.

Sniffling I pulled off my glasses and cleaned them before wiping my face dry, knowing full well that I was flushed from embarrassment. That had gone worse than I had feared, they'd circled around me like a pack of wolves and bore down upon me before I could even realise what was happening. I am never going back there again, not for any reason. Sliding my glasses back onto my nose I gave a deep exhale, fisting my fingers into my skirts as I was driven home to the hotel that my father's grandfather had owned and been passed down to us. We lived on the top floor, the entire suit made into a living space suitable for anyone with money and wealth to enjoy it. Father moved around so much due to his work that he saw no point in buying a proper home, it was all hotels and private jets for him so I stayed where he knew the staff could keep an eye on me.

Usually I was alone, father rarely coming back from work even when he was in the city. At most I might receive a call to check that I was working hard and not causing trouble, but that was it. He never called to ask if I was alright and sometimes the loneliness got to me. The maids had already cleaned and had left a report in the book for me to glance over, but everything seemed to be in order so I went ahead and made myself food. I wasn't a marvellous cook, but I could do basic meals in a wide variety which I learned through practice. I enjoyed cooking for myself, though I could very easily just order room service.

After cooking I ate then cleaned up, not wanting to leave too much work for the maids to do. I know it was their job but it made no sense that someone else had to constantly clean up after me, I wasn't a child anymore after all. After food I did my homework, advanced myself on some of my lessons and made sure all preparations for tomorrow were complete before I allowed some time to myself, which I devoted to my music. I loved music and my mother enjoyed it more than anything else. She had used to be a professional musician, playing almost any kind of instrument you could think of and she passed that passion down to me. In fact, my father had met her at one of her concerts and he had fallen in love with her the moment she had begun to play.

My favourite instrument was the cello, its rich diversity in tones making it one of the most satisfying instrument to play in my opinion, so I started with that. Mostly I could play from memory, very rarely needing to refer to the music as my fingers danced over the strings. I never felt nervous or anxious when I played music, though I could never play to an audience except my mother and perhaps my father if he was there to listen. When I was younger and their love unstrained by her sickness, they would ask for me to play the song that my father fell in love with for her. I will admit, it was my favourite one to play. As the music wrapped around me in a comforting blanket I allowed it to carry me up into the skies, spiralling above the earth until there was no one left except myself in the face of the setting sun with music enchanting the clouds.


	3. Chapter 3

"Princess Megumi! I-!" Before Tamaki Suoh had even finished I was running away in alarm like a startled rabbit, speedily making my escape and out of his sight as he was left with his mouth open midsentence, shocked at how quickly I had ran away from him. This had been happening every day for almost a week now. Either he or the twins would pop up suddenly and call out, or sneakily try to grab me from behind but I'd somehow always manage to escape them, running away before they could trap me. I didn't want to talk to them, why couldn't they see that?

As I hid behind a pillar I caught my breath, sighing in relief. I think I've lost him this time, however he was very persistent. I couldn't even find anywhere to study in peace as they'd somehow find me even in my most remote of hiding places. They were good at tracking people down apparently, I'll just have to try harder to keep myself out of their sight. "I feel so sorry for Megumi-chan, perhaps we should try to explain to Tamaki-kun and the others just how shy she is around people and particularly boys." I lifted my head slightly when I heard two girls mention my name as they walked past, having witnessed me run away from Tamaki. I felt rather indebted to them and was touched by their concern, so I took deep breaths to calm myself and headed outside to find somewhere in the gardens that I could find some peace and quiet.

Keeping my head bowed as I walked I made my way towards the rose gardens, feeling a light warmth from the earliness of spring which shone down from the clear sky above. I was just about to relax and think on what a lovely day it was when I felt myself bump into something as equally as delicate as I was, the slim shoulder rebounding slightly off of me as I took an alarmed step backwards. "Who on earth? Oh. It's the mute." An astonishingly pretty girl in third year turned around and I instantly felt alarmed. Ayanokoji, a mean spirited girl who I always did my best to try and avoid, however it seems that today was not a good day for me. "You think rudely bumping into your senior's shoulder is acceptable without so much as an apology?"

Instantly I bowed my head and clapped my hands together, apologising even though I could not find the words or voice to speak, the padlock and chain securing the words within and ensuring that nothing escaped. There were two upperclassmen with her, both of them boys and I began to panic, shivering all over as Ayanokoji turned to face me properly, a malicious sneer touching her refined features as she approached, making my back away fearfully. "You should have more respect for your sempai, allow me to remind you of your place, mute." Her hand thrust outwards and I gasped inaudibly, feeling a rather strong shove against my chest and I tripped on the lip of the pond which I had not realised I had been backed up against.

My bag dropped from my hand as I flailed, twisting awkwardly and crashed into the water with a pronounced splash as the freezing water soaked my hair and dress, my glasses sliding off my face slightly as a lily pad caught on my head and sat there like a waterlogged hat. The third years all laughed as I struggled, forcing my hands to find the bottom so that I could sit upright, shivering from the cold as Ayanokoji and her two followers all started to take pictures. I wanted to cry, feeling torturously embarrassed at my situation.

Rushing to my feet I slipped again, returning to the water clumsily as the other filmed and I quickly hid my face, shaking my head. They were so cruel and unkind. Ayanokoji was one of the meanest girls in the school and those that followed or associated her on a friendly basis were often of the same calibre as her. Once I had managed to stagger out of the pond I grabbed my bag and ran as fast as I could, leaving a trail of water behind me as I went, still hearing their jeering laughs ricocheting through my head.

My heart was pounding and I felt deeply depressed by the cruel act. I had not bumped into her intentionally, I would never do such a thing yet she had taken her revenge a little too far. Pushing me into the pond when it still wasn't very warm like that could make me catch a cold. Shaking my head again I stopped once I was inside and reached into my bag, rummaging around until I had found my inhaler. With spring here it was becoming more difficult for me to breathe. We were a few weeks into the term but the weather was taking its time to warm up, meaning the cherry blossoms were a little late and the pollen in the air sometimes reacted with me, however with this cold and distress, my lungs were aching heavily until I could relieve them a little.

Once I had taken my inhaler, I felt a little calmer, but not by much. All the same I still needed a place to be alone and perhaps dry off and change, so I headed upstairs via the back chamber and stairwell, keeping out of sight of everyone until I had made my way to one of the music rooms. Music room one, I knew this one was fairly out of use as it was used mainly to store instruments, perfect for someone like me. The door was locked, however so I drew out one of my pins and wiggled it around in the lock a little, working it carefully before I managed to spring the lock open and I stepped inside.

The grand pianos were covered in large white sheets and the shutters were closed over the windows, making the room dark and dreary so I went over and pulled them open before lifting the window up, allowing the light to filter inside as well as a soft breeze which I inhaled softly, feeling better already as I stood surrounded by many different instruments. Putting down my bag I drew out my towel and began to dry myself, undressing from my uniform and pulled out the spare set of clothes I carried to change.

My clothes consisted of a simple modest dress of black with came down to just above my ankles with a slight frill and a white ruffled collar that buttoned up at my throat with a neat bow. My father always told me to look modest and reserved like an ideal wife should be, so I obeyed to the best of my ability. Whilst my clothes dried off over the heaters, I walked around the room until I had found a cello to my liking, running my hands over the smooth wood as I marvelled at its make. Pulling it towards me I managed to sit down in the centre of the room upon one of the piano seats with it resting against my shoulder. I tightened the bow and plucked the strings, carefully listening as I tuned them until they all sounded correctly in tune.

Placing my fingers carefully into position and delicately beginning to pluck the strings I warmed the instrument up a little, getting used to its sound and resonance before beginning to play. It was a wonderful sound and I soon lost myself in the music, the cello seemingly coming alive as my fingers danced over the fingerboard, long and willowy and meant to play. My eyes closed naturally as a pleasant smile rose to my face, allowing the music to wash away the memory of Ayanokoji and her ruthlessness. Ever since she had been banned from the Host Club, her temper had only gotten worse.

I let that all slide away, becoming more involved with the music as I poured my feelings into the sad and melancholy tune which was touched with an air of yearning, as if wanting to reach up and soar away but it was caged, the notes falling lower and lower as they drew out, becoming more melodic in their tone before gradually beginning to make that climb. Lost in music, I exhaled softly, my head swaying slightly before all at once my fingers blurred into motion and the bow struck the chords, a flurry of notes expanding with sound that filled the silent room with their voices ringing. I never wanted the song to end, however as I came upon the last note I drew it out for as long as I wanted, feeling the emotion well up in my chest before lifting my bow away from the strings, fingertips burning slightly from the intense pressure I had put them under.

For a moment I simply sat there, exhaling to allow the emotion to sink back down so that I could be calm. My glasses were a little damp still from where they had gotten wet so I placed the bow in my lap and leaned the cello against me, taking my glasses off and cleaning them with my skirt as my damp hair was pulled back from my face, the heavy tresses of my mousey hair going a little curly as they dried so that they were wavy and a little untidy, but I hadn't bothered to brush it just yet. When it was just me, I liked it when my hair went naturally wavy and I didn't have to straighten it so that it pleased my father to look neat.

"I didn't know you could play so well, miss." I jolted slightly but recognised Haruhi's voice, however when I looked over towards the door where I saw a slightly blue shape which was predominantly blurred I blinked, my eyes unable to see clearly until I had placed my glasses back on my face and Haruhi's jacket became distinguished, her kind smiling eyes looking at me as she stood politely at the door. "I heard the music and came to see who was playing, may I come in?" Nodding my head Haruhi entered and shut the door behind her, however she paused a moment and shooed something away before making sure it was closed behind her. I was a little curious but said nothing as she then turned around and walked towards me, not stopping until she was directly in front of me. "Have you been playing a long time?" I nodded my head, giving Haruhi a smile though a lump welled up in my throat, feeling the chain that refused to allow me to speak tighten. "I see, you're still rather nervous around me, aren't you?" Again I nodded but Haruhi's smile only grew wider. "I understand, sometimes people are rather intimidating. Actually, I saw what Ayanokoji-sempai did to you at the pond as I was standing at the window at the time. You weren't hurt were you?"

This time I shook my head, assuring Haruhi that I was alright before I gestured for her to take a seat, holding my hand towards the other stools that lined the room so she brought one over and sat opposite me, hands holding her knees as she sat neatly. "I never really understood music and I was never very good at it, it's amazing that you can play so well Akiyama-chan." I smiled my thanks, glancing around the room before pointing towards the other instruments, such as the violins and the flutes. "Oh! Can you play those too? What about the piano? The harp? I didn't realise girls could be so accomplished, though I shouldn't really be surprised. You must be really clever Akiyama-chan if you're able to keep up with your studies and learn all these instruments as well." I blushed slightly at Haruhi's compliment but dipped my head in thanks. "Will you play something else for me please? Music is something that my mother always liked before she passed away, I don't know why but when I heard you playing, I instantly started to think of her and…well…I felt like she was close by."

Haruhi's words were extremely touching and I gave her an empathetic look, tilting my head slightly and she seemed to understand me without even needing me to speak. "It was a long time ago so I'm not overly sad about it anymore. Of course I miss her, but I know that she's watching over me in heaven." I could understand what Haruhi felt, being close to losing my own mother I felt that we had something a little in common, which was the first time I had ever considered myself connected to another human being except my mother. With such an innocent request, I found myself shaking but determined to do it for her. I could hardly play around others, but she had such a warm smile that I could close my eyes and still feel her kindness and patience. I took deep breaths, counting myself in before I started to play.

My fingers shook slightly and you could hear it in the tone, however as I gained in confidence in performing for Haruhi, that shaking soon fell away and my fingers once more hopped over the strings, playing a tuneful melody that made me think of my own mother, soft and sweet with a brightness to its voice, almost as if it were someone singing. Guiding my bow over the strings I masterfully played a small number for Haruhi, feeling a spike of anxiety every now and then until I was distracted with the music and almost completely forgot that Haruhi was listening until the very end where she began to clap after I had pulled my bow away. "That was amazing! You really are talented Akiyama-chan." Blushing deeply I nodded my head to her, smiling my thanks and she returned the gaze. "By the way, if your clothes are still wet I could always try and find you another uniform to change into if you like. I'm sure they must have something lying around."

I blinked at Haruhi, surprised by her offer before I relaxed and shook my head, lips tilted upwards slightly. My lessons were over for the day so there was no need for me to go back into my uniform, I could quite happily just stay shut away in this room away from the rest of the world and play to my heart's content. However my father had arranged for me to go for a dress fitting and the car would be there to pick me up soon, so I would have to leave this room eventually. "Don't mind that Ayanokoji, she's high strung and likes to pick on us little people, but don't let her get to you." Haruhi advised as she stood up, pushing back her hair slightly as she turned a brightly confident expression down towards me. "I think it's because she's jealous, she obviously knows that you're way smarter than her, plus I think you're cuter too. In some ways, you could think of it as a compliment."

A deep flush rose at Haruhi's words and I quickly looked away, unable to respond by any means as my throat became dry like sandpaper, making it uncomfortable for me to swallow. "Thank you very much for your time, Akiyama-chan, I hope we see each other again soon." With that Haruhi left, however the moment the door swung open a bunch of boys fell in as they'd been listening at the door, making her leap back with a gasp and instantly I was bolting, dashing under a piano where the white cloth hid my from view, the cello having been left to lay on the floor. "What are you guys doing here?! I said don't follow me in here!"

"But Haruhi! Daddy wanted to listen to the music too!" Tamaki complained, leaping to his feet as the twins, Mitsukuni and Takashi all got up as well and dusted themselves off, Kyoya the only one who had not been leaning against the door but was writing notes into his handbook in disinterest. "Who was it Haruhi? Who was it who was playing?"

"I…uh…" Haruhi glanced around and I prayed silently that she wouldn't tell, a hand gripping at my heart as she cleared her throat. "Well, that's my secret. I'm not telling you guys."

"Haruhi!" Tamaki wailed loudly, sobbing as the twins crowded behind her with interest, leaning on her head with their arms.

"In that case we definitely want to know. We'll give you fancy tuna if you tell us Haruhi." They tried to bribe however, much to my surprise and relief, Haruhi stuck to her word and refused to tell any of them who it was, even as they tried to bribe, shake and force it out of her. Eventually she ran off, Tamaki chasing after her with the others following, all except Kyoya. His stern façade turned back into the room as he reached for the door handle and pulled it towards him, closing it slightly before he stopped and suddenly spoke out, making my heart almost drop like a stone in my chest.

"I suggest that you had better keep the window shut if you do not wish others to hear you play." He announced to the seemingly empty room, making my jaw drop slightly. I knew my clothes were on the heaters but I didn't think he'd be that swift to catch on. He truly was a genius who did not miss a single trick. "And just so that you are aware, you are expected to be dining with my family and your father tonight, so I shall see you after school. Miss Akiyama." Immediately a cold sweat broke out over me. How had he known it was me? It was impossible, yet no mistake he had addressed me by name. All the same I refused to emerge, remaining hidden and crouched in a small ball like a little mouse as Kyoya then closed the door with a soft click, leaving me to my solitude.

Is that why I was to leave for a dress fitting? I do hope father intends to tell me himself, otherwise I'll be frightfully discouraged. But to think, dinner with the Ootori family? Was I expected to attend this time? I have never been asked to join them before as it was a man's table, so why would this time be any different? Yet Kyoya's warning made me shiver internally with dread. It were as if he knew what my father intended but had elected to keep these secrets from me. This was very much a man's world, with no power of my own I could only do my father's bidding, so if he called me to the table this evening, then that is where I would be, even if I dread the mere thought of meeting with the Ootori patriarch and his sons.

Shaking my head I crawled out from underneath the piano and dusted myself off, sighing shakily before I went to my clothes. They were still soaking wet so I daintily draped them over my arm and carried them like that as I left the school and went to the car where my dress appointment awaited me.


	4. Chapter 4

I disliked the dress with a passion. It was old fashioned and severe, like something that a highborn English lady would wear in the nineteenth century. The ruffles at my cuffs were irritating and the shape did nothing for my figure at all. What was my father thinking? If my mother saw me now, she would shriek in horror and demand that I change at once, however my clothes all looked exactly the same. My hair had been brushed into a vertical line and trimmed so that everything was perfectly straight, making my face look thin and with my thick rimmed glasses, the entire look was just wholly unappealing.

Though I could not argue against my father, so this was the exact outfit I wore when he called me down to the restaurant to have dinner with him. Even when I arrived he had not warned me about the Ootori family and my heart wilted sadly, almost feeling betrayed. He did not understand me at all and had Kyoya not warned me, I would have been frightened into a faint most likely. At least I could prepare myself at this rate so I took deep breaths, walking into the family owned restaurant in the very same hotel where my father stood at a private table already set up with the finest crystal glasses and the best chinaware we possessed. This was a meal meant to impress, so I firmly kept my mouth shut.

My father had aged many years since my mother first became sick. His hair was pale and thinning, his eyes slightly distant with heavy lines marking his face as green orbs looked down at me in scrutiny. He approved of the look, but he did not approve of me. I could tell. "You are late. Next time, be punctual." He ordered simply as I bowed my head, opening my mouth to greet him but he sharply cut across me. "And do not speak. Girls are to be seen and not heard, especially when it comes to this dinner meeting, understood?" Silently and morbidly, I nodded my head before taking my place next to him.

We waited patiently, a tense silence filling the air between us until finally one of our waiters showed the Ootori family inside. I recognised the father immediately, Yoshio Ootori, as he was tall, stern and intimidating with an unsmiling look in his eyes. He was followed by his eldest son, who I did not know but Kyoya entered behind them and I was not certain how to react. So I simply bowed in greeting and stayed there as my father then stood upright. "Welcome, we are honoured to have you here as our guests. Please sit, we have much to discuss." I took this as my permission to stand upright and almost immediately my eyes met with Kyoya. He was looking at me curiously, a little baffled by my appearance before he frowned, finding me unappealing and I quickly looked away, managing to stumble to my seat without falling though it was close. These shoes pinched and were uncomfortable to walk in.

The conversation took a polite turn, the basics of conversation being covered such as questions on the family health, observations made on recent news and opinions shared on the weather. It was tedious but I was glad that I never had to join in with such conversation. Being at the bottom of the table I was left to my own devices and I was quite glad that all I had to do was sit there and not make a sound. I had been introduced already, so there was no need for me to be brought up in conversation again. I was only here as to keep up appearances and to make face in society as was expected.

Pushing my glasses up from sliding down my nose I was about to reach for my glass of water when a loud and obnoxious voice called out to us all, a tall boy swaggering inside with a slight redness to his face from where he had been drinking. Hideki. Of course father had invited him as well, it made sense. "Uncle! Apologies for being late, the traffic was absolutely awful getting here from the office." He lied blatantly, dropping down into his seat after giving a rushed bow. "Ah! Mr Ootori, it's been a while!"

The messy locks of my cousin's hair was rather failingly swept back from his brow, slicked with an expensive hair oil but he looked dishevelled and all too casual for a dinner meeting such as this, yet my father passed this off without a blink and introduced my cousin again as his heir in training. I bristled slightly every time this fact was brought up. By rights I should inherit everything, including the company but he was determined to give it to my lazy, pig brained cousin who had barely passed any of his exams, and mostly he had cheated on that count too in order to achieve any kind of good mark to boast of. I disliked him greatly and I especially hated the way he…

"You've got that sour look on your face again little cousin, stop being such a drag." He pulled on my hair and I felt my shoulders tense at the sharp tug which was honestly quite painful but I said nothing, his grip slackening on my hair to then start poking me in the face and knocked my glasses askew but I merely fixed them back into place, suffering his torment until he got bored, though all the while I could not help but notice that Yoshio Ootori had been watching and so had Kyoya. How embarrassing, why did Hideki have to come and make us all look like a shameful family?

He demanded whiskey which he drained in one gulp as it arrived and smacked his lips, quickly ordering another as father continued to talk, pretending that nothing was amiss. My cousin's behaviour began to get on my nerves and I wanted to smack him around the head and tell him to behave himself, but father had ordered that I never say a word. He told me to be silent so often that I think now I had lost my voice altogether. Sometimes I truly could feel the chain wrapped around my neck, closing my throat to lock away my voice. Was such a thing possible? Whenever I tried to talk, even if it was alone in my room, I could never find anything to say to myself.

It's been so long that I can't even remember what I sound like anymore. Beside me Hideki continued to make insufferably crude conversation, steadily becoming more and more intoxicated even as the food came. When he jerked back his elbow during an expression of a large portion, the waiter was caught and he lurched forwards, spilling the drink he had been setting down upon the table and Hideki had immediately grown angry, dark eyes glowering hotly at the terrified waiter who retreated backwards with humble apologies. Hideki did not believe his sincerity and banished him from the table, threatening to get him fired.

At this point, I saw father's resolve waver slightly as his eyes flickered towards his nephew and my cousin. His temper had always been a flaw of his, as well as his drinking habits. In addition, he was not all that bright, which meant that him taking over the company was just a disaster in the making. After the main course was finished, father finally turned to both myself and Hideki, giving a stern look which meant that argument was not an option. "Children, it is time you left us adults to discuss our matters. You have permission to leave." Dipping my head I rose to my feet and bowed gracefully, silently sending my thanks as I bowed to our guests in turn and then to my father, catching his eye briefly before Hideki stumbled across my vision.

"Sure thing, sure thing, I'll be off out with friends of mine. Though if little cousin wants to come, she'll have to lose some of that ugly dress!" He grinned, leering at me before suddenly making a lunge. I felt a flash of alarm before smartly stepping to the side, the small movement making Hideki miss and he hit the floor, groaning softly as he passed out from the alcohol intake. Without a word his two bodyguards stepped forwards and picked him up, easily carrying him away like they had done so many times before. With my cheeks burning in embarrassment I bowed my head deeply to everyone at the table, conveying my sincerest apologies before I turned and hurried away, refraining from running until I was out of sight.

That had been the worst dinners I had ever been forced to attend, I was so anxious and flustered that I quickly had to search for my inhaler and take several puffs to prevent an attack. With the elevator carrying me back up to my penthouse, I wasted no time in throwing this hideous dress off my body and changing into something more comfortable, though it was still a dress of my father's choosing. Always modest and old fashioned, at least this one wasn't overly formal. I was jittery and nervous, pacing around the room as I waited for my father to return. There was nothing I could do about anything now, but I could not help but wonder if I had done something wrong without my knowing or he would blame me for Hideki's behaviour.

At this moment, there is only one thing that can calm me. Music. My hands were shaking too much to play a stringed instrument, so instead I picked up my prized flute and began to play that instead, running through some scales and exercises before flying through the pieces that I had committed to memory. I wondered briefly upon what they could be discussing downstairs. Perhaps Kyoya will give me a hint when I next see him at school, however the thought quickly made me panic so I pushed it away. I'll find out eventually. In fact, I knew quite a lot of what my father handled in the business. He may not be teaching me directly, but I always listened whenever he was attempting to train Hideki and I was within earshot.

I did not consider myself cunning, however I was adamant that my father's company which he had worked so hard to build up on his own would not pass to my cousin. It would be left to me when he retired and me alone, so I was working as hard as I could in order to make this come true, keeping a close eye on proceedings and occasionally rooting through his files whenever something caught my attention to be wrong. Once before I had found out about one of his secretaries attempting to sell information to a rival company as I had overheard him on the phone when I had visited my father at his office. It did not take much for me to hack into the system and locate the documents that had been stolen, which I then sent to my father anonymously with evidence supporting the fact that one of his own was attempting to betray him. It had saved his company from losing its value, and for that I was grateful I could of be of help, so I always kept one ear open whenever something of importance was being discussed.

My father may not realise it, but I was as ambitious and determined as he was when it came to things that were important to me. It was like my music, I refused to put down an instrument until I had mastered it and memorised the music I needed to learn. Being as quiet and silent as I was, no one suspected me of listening to everything that was going on around me. All the same, for now I had to wait and see what would become of this meeting, so to pass the time I continued to play. Numerous hours passed without me even noticing a minute until the door opened and my father walked in. For a moment he stopped, listening to me play and I did not notice him until I had finished the movement, taking a moment to catch my breath as I also opened my eyes. I was startled to see him there, tall and stern with his eyes fixed on me. Hastily I bowed in greeting, mouth opening but quickly closing as I remembered that he did not want me to speak without permission.

"You have improved greatly, I see you are still diligent in your practice." He observed before giving a long sigh, tugging off his smart bowtie but as he pulled it refused to budge, becoming a messy knot so I placed down my flute and approached him gingerly, giving a slight bob of my head before I lifted my hands to offer to do it for him. Nodding his consent I proceeded, my face softening as I undid his bow and his top button which I knew he also struggled with because of the arthritis in his fingers. "Hm." He glanced at me before walking away, going to get himself a drink of whiskey from the bar. "That nephew, when will he learn to grow up?"

I could tell that my father was irritated so I began to put the flute away, separating the pieces so that they fit into their case then returned them to the music display that we had set up in the living room, the glass cabinet full of all of our instruments that belonged to both myself and my mother. "I despair for him sometimes, but I still have hope that he will learn eventually. He gets better each time." My father was talking to himself, wandering around a little lost before he went to stand in front of the huge windows that overlooked the city which was lit with thousands of lights, almost making it seem like we were gazing across a field of fireflies. "That Yoshio, I should have known he was after something so ambitious, though such an arrangement could be beneficial for both families. I shall have to think of it more."

Knowing that it was time for my father to take his pills I went to the cabinet and drew them out, carefully making sure that I had the right quantity before drawing a glass of water also before taking them to him, the cloth handkerchief in my hand holding the pills so they were not touching my bare skin and I offered both the medication and the water to him. He took the pills but swigged his whiskey down as well, making me blink before giving a slightly disapproving look which my father caught in the window. He looked down on me with a sharp gaze, making me flinch and look away in shame, however before I could draw back his hand reached out and patted my head. "You did well tonight, as quiet as a mouse." Such a compliment instantly made me beam and I smiled brightly, gazing up at my father who looked back at me with a strange expression. Sadness, but also a little warmth. This was the closest expression he ever gave that even remotely resembled loving, but I accepted it in whatever form it came in.

Standing by his side I drank the water myself, looking out across the city as I waited, wondering if he would tell me what was discussed but he said nothing, instead sending me off to bed with a warning that he was leaving town again for a while and wouldn't be back for at least a month. I was saddened so I reached out towards him as he turned away, freezing slightly as I lost my nerve but pushed through, holding my breath as I stretched out my hand and touched his, making him look to me in surprise. I gave him a simple look, telling him that it was alright and that I understood why he had to go, and that I would miss him. I tried to convey all of that and I think he understood me as he gave my hand a slight squeeze before turning and walking away again.

My father was strict and unwavering in his ambition, yet he was also grieving and slightly lost without my mother by his side. I knew he would be going to her now to visit her in hospital and spend all night sitting by her side and talking to her as she slept. Cancer was a disease that was slowly consuming her body, yet she fought it off with every breath she took. My visits were restricted as my father had forbidden me to see her without his consent, something that I found extremely hard but I never disobeyed him. It has been a long time since I saw my mother and I missed her greatly, but I can still remember how beautiful she was and how much she smiled at me, so as I went to sleep I pictured her in my mind.


	5. Chapter 5

It had been my intention to find out for myself what my father was now planning, however it very quickly came to light as my cousin stumbled into the penthouse the next day, already drunk despite it being morning still. He was despicable and I despised him greatly, the way he flounced in and threw himself upon the sofa as if he owned the place. "Oi brat, get me something to drink." I refused to give him more alcohol so I cheekily placed water down on the coffee table in front of him, making him reject it with a splutter when he did not even stop to see what it was he was drinking. I should have tried my luck and given him arsenic, but I think that would be a little too obvious. "What is this muck? I said get me a _drink_ , you dumb brat."

When his voice rose I flinched, feeling my moment of bravado disappear so I quickly ran and got him his favourite beer, handing him the can and he downed it as fast as he could. His body guards stood at the door, silent and reverent as they made sure to keep him safe, however I was partially convinced that they were also there to keep others safe from Hideki, namely me. I had overheard my father mention it once in a brief passing comment to the security company that he had hired them from, wanting an absolute guarantee that they would keep Hideki from hurting anyone in a temper. My name was brought up a few times and I had been touched that my father had thought to make measures to protect me as well without having big, scary men overshadow me all day.

Hideki finished his drink then went stumbling in search of more as I glanced around. It was a weekend so there was no school, however if he was going to make himself comfortable here then I did not want to even be in the same building as him. Although I was concerned about the instruments, I also knew that the bodyguards were under orders to keep anything from happening to them too. "So… _hiup_ …that dinner last night, aren't you curious to know what they were all talking about?" Hideki slurred, pointing at me with his empty bottle before he left it on the counter, swigging at another. "You're going to faint…little cousin…because it's something _real_ nasty…" For a while as he kept me in suspense, I began to think of all unimaginable and horrible schemes my father might secretly be planning, even going as far as to thinking he might have accidentally developed a virus that could wipe out humanity and he needed the Ootori family to help him find a cure. "…you…little cousin…will be marrying…into the Ootori family. Probably…to the youngest…what's his name?"

Blinking I stood there, eyes wide in shock. Marriage? That's what they had been discussing? To be honest I had been thinking so many other unfavourable things that in comparison, marriage did not seem like an all too terrible alternative. But then it hit me. An arranged marriage to the Ootori family, and possibly to Kyoya! My heart started to race and I felt a cold sinking feeling in my gut. Marriage, as in, husband and wife? I cannot even speak to an ordinary boy, there is no way I'd be able to marry Kyoya without fainting every time I saw him! Oh no, this was awful, will father really make me do it? I won't have a choice if he orders me as I do not wish to displease him, but as all my knowledge about what was expected of a husband and wife flashed through my mind, I hid my face in shame. I could not even possibly conceive such a thought.

"That's right… _hiup_ …you'll be Mrs Ootori sometime in the future, your old man's been discussing the arrangements for your betrothal for some time. I've been listening in on the phone calls, he's pretty determined to ship you off little cousin." Father wanted to get rid of me? No, I cannot accept this to be true until I hear it from his own mouth. Besides, hardly anything my cousin says is ever true, so he may be lying altogether. I must find out the truth for myself, so I made a quick plan in order to determine exactly what was going on. My father was definitely up to something, but until I find out what I shall keep an open mind. Though how am I to face Kyoya after this if it turns out to be true? I shall simply have to avoid him from now on, there is not a chance in the world that I will allow myself to be forced into the corner when I barely have the confidence to look someone in the eye. "Oi brat, you listening to me?" Blinking I didn't see my cousin flying at me until he'd tackled me to the ground, bottle spilling free and the contains poured into the carpet as I cried out in a strained squeak, the sound disappearing almost the moment it left my lips as my voice refused to sustain it. "You'll either be his…or you'll be mine…little cousin…"

His breath reeked and I almost wanted to retch, struggling underneath him as he pinned down my wrists however not a moment later the two bodyguards were there, the larger one ripping my cousin off me as the other slid out in front and stood guard, making sure Hideki did not try to come after me again though he yelled and lashed out, knocking over the coffee table and even smashed one of our vases in the struggle, demanding to be let go. I caught my breath, shaking from the sudden attack of my cousin. When he refused to calm down the bodyguard restraining him carried him away after making him go to sleep, squeezing his shoulder and my cousin dropped like a rag doll, his fighting ceasing.

I knew they would take him back to his own hotel room now in a different hotel than this one, so I sighed in relief. The bodyguard that was shielding me turned, offering me a hand up and I flinched, the large fingers making me panic with an unreasonable fear however, they were used to me as well, so the guard wordlessly crouched down and barred his arm against me, offering me his forearm instead for me to grip onto. I relaxed slightly, giving him a faint smile of thanks as he helped me back to my feet then quietly called for someone to come and clean up the mess. I felt guilty, so I put on some rubber gloves after he had left and began to pick up the broken china pieces, a little annoyed as this had been one my father had brought back from a trip to Hong Kong.

The maids came and although were a little startled to see the struggle, as well as spotting me helping to clean up, they hurriedly rushed forwards and scrubbed the carpet clean from the beer and tossed away the evidence that my cousin had ever been here as they cooed. "Oh you poor thing, are you alright? Have you cut yourself at all? Please, allow me to do that miss, you shouldn't risk injuring yourself." They fussed over me and although their flittering made me a little jumpy, they reminded me of hummingbirds the way they darted around and chatted, so I smiled and reassured them with a smile before placing the broken pieces in the trash.

They were done in no time and did a quick clean around to make sure everything was in order before disappearing, leaving me alone in the large, spacious penthouse. Instantly I could feel the isolation, everything around me looking like it had been dragged out of a promotional magazine for luxury accommodation. With a sigh I head towards my father's office, knowing that I might be able to find some answers there. I opened the door and slipped inside, going over to his computer and logged in with his details which I had memorised when I had seen him enter them once several years ago. My father was not one for change, so he did not alter his details once as he was likely to forget them.

I ignored everything except his most recent interactions with the Ootori family, seeing no reason for me to indulge in investigating his other private interactions, however as I carefully read through the emails, I came to the daunting realisation that for once, my cousin had been telling the truth. In fact, it had been my father who had opened the suggestion. That dinner had actually been meant as an introductory meal before the real negotiations were to take place. I carefully examined my father's reasons and I came to the conclusion that he sought to benefit both families. The Ootori name was perhaps legendary among all families of significance, yet my father was powerful with his large corporation in science technology and advanced robotics, as well as his company that delved into the more medicinal side of medicine and vaccinations. If anything, it was a perfect match and such a combination would be something to rival even the greatest families nationwide, the only thing however, my father had made it clear that I was to receive no part of his companies and that all I would be receiving was a significant dowry.

This made me twitch a little and I frowned, reading through Yoshio's responses. It made no sense to me. Unless I came with the full inheritance, there was little logical reason for me to be married to the Ootori family. Was it for the name alone? For a secure partnership? I could not find any information beyond that, but I refused to give up just yet. I will find my own two feet and stand on them, even if it meant going behind my father's back. Closing everything down I erased the evidence that I had accessed the computer before leaving the room, locking it behind me and tucking the key away, drifting in a slight daze.

 _Marry_ Kyoya Ootori? I cannot do it, I really can't it would be too much. I'd be unhappy and restrained, like a clipped bird in a cage. Yoshio Ootori was up to something and I will not allow him to undermine my father, there has to be some ulterior motive behind all of this, as to be honest there are hundreds of other girls out there that would make a more suitable partner for Kyoya. For example, the family in China that headed the advanced medical facilities and were already making some of the greatest technological advances in medicine that the world has ever seen. Or there were of course families in the United States where they were leading scientists to discover many new things about the human body.

Why _me_? And I do not mean that in a petty way, it is just that compared to so many other choices out there, I was quite small in comparison. My father's main forte in science was robotics and medicinal technology. Although that was useful to the Ootori family, such a partnership could be agreed upon without the marriage as my father had nothing more to offer that they did not already have. They had money, power, prestige, influence and more. My father had that as well, just not as much. His respect was earned through his own intelligence and his inventions that he had created himself. I just could not wrap my head around it.

With my new task in hand, I set to work researching the Ootori family and combing through everything as finely as I could, even hacking into a few of their servers to observe what it was that they were up to. I found nothing as of yet, but that did not mean I would give up looking. It was the afternoon now and I felt like some fresh air, so I rang for an escort and headed to the park with an umbrella over my head to keep the sun off my skin, enjoying the falling petals as they brushed against my cheeks as soft as my mother's fingers, which made me feel nostalgic and peaceful.


	6. Chapter 6

When I returned to school I immediately noted how quiet everything felt. None of the host club members tried to jump me the entire day which only set me further on edge. It was suspicious and I did not like it, so I was constantly glancing over my shoulder with a look of permanent worry on my face. "Megumi-chan, I am so sorry to ask, but could you please help me with this part of our homework? I have tried for hours trying to solve these, but I still do not understand them." I blinked in surprise and looked up at the girl who addressed me, perhaps the most popular girl in our class, Satsuki. Her large blue eyes pleaded at me before I nodded, giving her a shy smile before gesturing to the seat next to me. "Oh thank you! You really are wonderful Megumi-chan." She exhaled with relief before placing down her work and I glanced through the sums.

Slowly I began to show her how I worked them out, doing one or two of them for her as she nodded her head. "Okay, so I subtract this one from here, multiply by the value of this one here and…" She began to work them out herself as I watched over her, correcting any mistakes until finally, she worked out the last ones on her own. "Thank you so much Megumi-chan, you're such a kind person!" Beaming at me Satsuki reached into her bag and drew out a pencil with a little teddy bear eraser on the top. "Here, this is to say thank you for helping me! Have a nice day Megumi-chan, I'll see you in class!" Waving goodbye Satsuki hurried off to join her friends who had waited for her.

The girls in my class were all so lovely, but Satsuki was the nicest of them all. She was the first to recognise how shy I was when everyone else had assumed I was simply proud and had told everyone to be kinder to me, giving me large smiles and talked to me in soft tones and kept a small distance in order to make me feel comfortable and slowly, everyone copied her example when they realised that I was willing to help them with anything they needed, even if it was running an errand for them when they had several things to do at once. They never crowded me, always approaching one at a time and they always told off the boys whenever they made jokes about me being mute. I felt really glad to know such people as those girls were out there, it gave me a little hope for humanity.

Since lunch had only just begun and I had a free period afterwards anyway to study, I decided to return to that music room and play a little while. This time, however, I would keep the window firmly shut so that no one could hear me, though one seemed to be stuck slightly ajar and the breeze made it rattle slightly, almost as if it was begging to be opened fully to allow in the fresh air. I liked to play in private, if anyone were to watch without me being comfortable with them, then I would freeze up and be unable to play. Picking up my bag I headed up the stairs, glancing around to make sure no one was watching before going inside. For a while I simply gazed around me, thinking what a shame it was that all these instruments were left unused.

The music department had recently upgraded its instruments and these were the castoffs, the unwanted ones but they all sounded so beautiful still. It was a deep shame, perhaps I should put in a request that they be donated to a comprehensive school to promote other children from poorer backgrounds to enjoy music. Deciding on my instrument, I reached out and carefully lifted up the violin, instantly recognising its make before tuning it by ear. The moment it was tuned and the bow tightened, I tucked it under my chin and with a flurry of notes, played an overwhelmingly fast paced piece that would have other ears in a confusion. I played into my frustrations and irritations, letting go of my emotions as I played, my back turned to the door.

It creaked open slightly, a shadow falling behind it as I played, completely unaware until slowly, a figure stepped inside, closing the door behind them. The notes soared, the bow attacking the strings with sharp movements before scurrying up the scale, climbing higher and higher until suddenly plummeting, taking me on a rollercoaster of a ride as my body naturally responded to the music, allowing it to fulfil me wherever I felt emptiness, taking deep breaths until all at once I ended on the last note, the sharp ring echoing around me as I felt my shoulders heave slightly. It has been a while since I played like that, it was nice to change the tempo a little.

"Bravo, a most exhilarating performance." Immediately I was spinning around, staring wide eyed at Tamaki Suoh as he clapped his hands. "I must say I'm surprised to find that it would be you who was our mysterious muse, yet it is rather poetic that you speak with your music rather than your voice." He stayed well away from me, rooted to the spot as I considered dashing for the exit. Seeing me glance towards the door, Tamaki gave a charming smile. "Please, I won't move any closer to you if it frightens you, you have my word. I want only for us to talk a little. Is that alright with you? Of course if you want to leave I will not stop you, I shall stay right here in my place until you are gone, if that is what you wish." He was speaking so politely that I almost suspected him of foul play, however the soft innocence and sincerity in his eyes told me otherwise. There was something about Tamaki that made me curious, though I could feel my chest tightening anxiously by just being in the same room as a boy I was not familiar with. "Will you please take a seat?"

Glancing across to a chair, I slowly made my way towards it then sat down, placing the violin and its bow on top of a piano as Tamaki moved over to another, pulling off the sheet with a flourish and there was a breath of dust which filled the air, however as Tamaki lifted the lid and sat down, I became entranced as he started to play. Immediately I recognised the music, my fingers twitching as they also began to tap out the keys on my legs. I did not know that Tamaki could play, not only that, but he could play very well. He was certainly a musician and as he closed his eyes and surrounded himself in the music, if felt myself connect to him without realisation.

We both shared a deep love for music, I could hear it in the way he played and the truly enjoyable expression he was wearing. In fact, it may have even be an almost identical expression I wore whenever I was lost in the music. All the same, I could not help but notice that he was playing a duet for the piano and violin. He was asking me to play with him. It has been many years since I have been able to play a duet that I could not resist for much longer, reclaiming the instrument and waited a few beats before joining in, not needing the music at all. Together we played, our conversation growing between us as we communed through each note and chord, our hearts pouring into the music as we continued to connect.

It was a strange feeling, being this relaxed in the presence of a boy. All boys made me nervous, however when I had something as special as this in common with Tamaki, I felt that it set him apart from all the others. There was definitely something inside him that made him different from all the rest and a small bubble of respect burst in my chest, ingraining itself in my mind and heart as we continued our conversation, him speaking and me answering before our voices joined together. The moment was surreal and I never wanted it to end, however as all music must the last note was played and we held onto it for as long as we were able, before all at once there was silence.

I was completely speechless and not in my usual way. I did not know how to react or respond, looking at Tamaki before swiftly averting my eyes. He was so engrossed with the piano that for a moment he did not look away, holding onto the memory of the wonderful music before eventually he turned to me with a smile, standing up from his piano stool. "Megumi Akiyama, if this is how you express your voice, then you have many beautiful things to say. Thank you for sharing them with me."

My eyes widened, never before having heard such a sweet sentiment in all my life. The loosened window suddenly rose up and a flurry of cherry blossoms flew inside, wrapping around us both and slowly, I felt the chain around my throat loosen slightly, a slight crack appearing in the lock as I stared at Tamaki. He was…unlike anyone I had ever met before. In fact in some ways he reminded me of my mother, the way he spoke and the softness in his eyes that seemed to glisten with understanding. His love of music, that was how we connected and for the first time, I did not tremble in the presence of a boy. He kept his distance, not approaching me so that I did not become startled. "It has come to my attention that you are undergoing difficulty sustaining relations with your peers, therefore the Host Club has decided to extend to you its hand of invitation." He declared, the hand over his heart extending towards me. "You are free to accept or refuse at your leisure and you have my word, none of us will approach you unless you invite us to do so, however it is our hope that we assist you in gaining confidence with social skills and releasing your voice to be heard by all the world! After all, if your music is the standard by which you express yourself, you must have many things that you wish to say."

I continued to stare, astonished and slightly bewildered as Tamaki continued to smile. "We will be awaiting you, my princess, in music room three, where today we have specially arranged an emergency host meeting in order for us to introduce ourselves properly. Please, it would be an honour if you would grace us with your company." Tamaki proclaimed rather flamboyantly before he bowed like a prince then took his leave, closing the door behind him as I recovered. Slowly I sank to the floor, taking deep breaths before fumbling for my inhaler which I took to stave off an attack, realising everything that had just happened all at once.

Not only had I played a duet with a boy, but he had invited me to the host club in order to meet everyone. I knew Haruhi would be there if all members were present, but that would also mean Kyoya would be there. Considering I had vowed to stay well clear of him until I could understand his father's motives, this could prove quite problematic. Although, come to think of it, surely the best way to understand the Ootori family would be to be in close contact with one? I shuddered, already growing anxious at the thought, yet I knew I was right. If I am to understand the father, I must first understand the son. I shall be brave and go along to this meeting and observe him, perhaps he may even let something slip that I can use in my case against his family to persuade my father to stay well clear of them.

Despite the fact that the thought of meeting so many new boys terrified me, I rationalised that Haruhi would be there and so would Tamaki. In addition, he had promised that no one would get too close to me if it made me feel uncomfortable, so perhaps this would be manageable. For the sake of my father and my future inheritance, I must go through with this. Steeling my resolve despite my jitters, I put the violin away and slowly made my way down the hall, passing music room two before standing outside of music room three. This was it, it was either going to be a repeat from last time or a significant improvement. We shall see which.

With a surge of mental enforcement, I pushed open the door. Instantly I was met with fragrant flower petals which fluttered around me like small butterflies, making me blink and almost sneeze. A petal caught on my glasses and I brushed it away as I looked inside, seeing the room was completely empty save for the small group of boys and Haruhi standing at the centre. "Welcome princess, we're so glad that you decided to join us today."


	7. Chapter 7

Despite the fact that this was a music room, it looked nothing of the sort and I was partially disappointed, however the decorations that the Host Club had placed themselves made up for the lack of music stands and piles of sheet music. There were sweet tables scattered around the room with expensive lace cloth, bouquets of flowers and chinaware set up like a traditional English tea room, delicate shades of pastels blending together to create a splendid picture of sophistication. My father would approve of me being found in such a setting, he would say that it was fitting for an elegant young lady such as myself.

After observing the room my eyes turned back to the people who stood in greeting before me. Tamaki was smiling broadly and Haruhi approached with an outstretched hand, a waiter's towel draped over the other arm as she guided me forwards. "We're glad to have you here, please make yourself comfortable, would you care for a drink?" I felt a little too nervous for a drink and I did not wish to risk spilling it everywhere because of trembling fingers so I politely shook my head, sitting down upon the comfortable armchair that Haruhi had brought me to. The boys decorated themselves around me, keeping a careful distance however the third year Mitsukuni suddenly burst with excitement and jumped towards me.

"We've been waiting so long to meet you Meg-chan! Have some cake! We have lots as it's my favourite thing in the world, Usa-chan would be very happy if you ate cake with us!" I was alarmed when the young Haninozuka suddenly appeared in front of my face and I hid behind my hands instinctively whilst shrinking into myself, not wanting him to look at me so closely. "Huh?"

"Honey-sempai! Didn't we discuss not overcrowding Megumi-chan!" Tamaki practically wailed as Morinozuka carefully picked up his cousin and placed him a safe distance away, however as I lifted my head I saw the tears in Mitsukuni's eyes, confused as he looked around at his friends.

"But Usa-chan and I want to be friends with Meg-chan, because she's so cute?" Cute? No one had ever described me as cute before. As I stared my mouth dropped open a little as the young looking senior sniffled and wailed slightly, rubbing his eyes into his sleeve to dry his tears as Tamaki tried to calm him, the twins blaming their boss for making Mitsukuni cry and I could not help but feel my heart beat a little less urgently and the shaking stopped as I observed. He was such an innocent person, meaning only goodwill by every gesture though I sensed a strong cunning in his eyes, his Lolita façade only a small part of his character. All the same, he was genuine and I somehow felt that I could trust him. He looked so young, after all, that I could almost get away with pretending he was just a child and I did not feel so nervous.

Rising from my seat I walked over, earning several surprised glances as I stood before the crying Mitsukuni though inwardly I was holding my breath, carefully summoning my courage as he lifted his tearful eyes up at me. Gradually I lowered my knees to the ground so that our heights were level, lips tightly pressed together as I lifted my shaking hand outwards before finally I placed it on his head, feeling the soft locks of his hair and finally, I released my breath. Pausing a moment I then patted his head three times almost in a ceremonious manner to let him know that it was alright. His eyes sparkled, sweet features lighting up as he squealed.

"Meg-chan, does this mean that we're friends now?" He asked me excitedly so I gave my best smile and nodded my head, tucking my hands into my lap as Mitsukuni leaped up in celebration, dancing around whilst holding his toy bunny. "Yay! Meg-chan likes me! Meg-chan likes me!" He cheered and I couldn't help but giggle silently behind my hand. This wasn't so bad, in fact none of them were quite so scary after a while once you get used to them. Mitsukuni suddenly threw his arms around my neck in a hug, causing my heart to shriek and jolt violently which then caused my body to react similarly, a shiver jumping up my spine as the sudden bodily contact made me go completely limp in a shocked faint, dizzy and a little lightheaded as Tamaki shrieked.

"Oh no! Honey-sempai look what you've done! You made Megumi-chan faint because you overstepped the boundary! What do we do what do we do?! Kyoya do something!" He panicked as the twins frowned at their boss.

"You're completely overreacting boss, it's not like she's dead or anything." They said together which only made Tamaki shriek louder. This was all a little overwhelming, however with Mitsukuni and Haruhi standing over me trying to bring me back around, I found myself being lifted up and carried back to the chair by Takashi Morinozuka which made me faint again from the shock. There are too many boys in my close presence, I am not accustomed to this at all. Somehow Haruhi managed to send all the boys back to the other side of the room, banishing them from my side and they were made to face the wall by her assertive tone before she then brought me a cup of tea and helped me regain my senses. I bowed my head in apology after I was able to stand, the others still arguing and bickering with one another whilst Kyoya merely typed away on his laptop, completely disinterested in the commotion. Whilst everyone was distracted, I took the time to observe him. He was sitting quietly on his own almost in his own little world, however I noticed how he would glance up over to his friends every now and then to signal that he did in fact take interest.

I do not know what he was working on with his laptop, however I could not fight the blush on my cheeks as he shifted his glasses up his nose a little. His cool demeanour and calm intellect made him very attractive, his neat appearance something I had heard my father comment on once or twice with approval. No wonder my father so readily approved of him as a marriage choice. My chest tightened as I looked at him, heart skipping a few beats until suddenly his eyes shifted and looked directly to me. I froze instinctively, unable to look away quickly enough so I gulped and lowered my head, knowing that it was rude to stare.

Perhaps I cannot do this after all, already I felt as if my heart was going to explode from all this anxiety and my chest was constricting tightly with each passing second. Hurriedly I dug through my bag until I found my inhaler, grasping it tightly before taking two puffs so that I could breathe a little easier. I tried to escape without anyone seeing, however Tamaki called out just as my hand touched the handle of the door. "Wait! I apologise for startling you, Megumi-chan, please stay a little longer." He pleaded but I could not, it would be detrimental to my health if I stayed, so with a gasp of breath for courage I turned around and smiled broadly, still minutely amused by their antics. I bowed in farewell before quickly leaving through the door and dashing away.

By the time I returned home my pulse was steady again, however I returned to find numerous messages on the machine which I listened to in astonished bewilderment. "Megumi-chan! It is us, your favourable Host Club!" It was Tamaki speaking however I could hear the others in the background, jostling to get their say over the phone. "We were overjoyed by your visit and hope that you will return soon, you are welcome any time and should you ever need assistance, the Host Club is ready to help in whatever way you need."

"You sound like an idiot when you talk like that, boss, let us tell her."

"You devils stay well away from Megumi-chan! She is like a second daughter to me!"

"Meg-chan, Usa-chan wants you to come back for cake soon, so don't stay away too long! Right Taka-chan?"

"Yeah." I heard Morinozuka answered as the twins and Tamaki fought over the phone, yelling at one another as Haruhi tried to get them to act with a little more decorum.

"Guys you're still on the phone! Stop acting like a bunch of kids and hang up already!"

"I do not think Miss Akiyama will appreciate such an interruption when she returns home to find you all behaving senselessly. Could you at least _try_ to act normally and not frighten the poor girl?" My heat fluttered a little at Kyoya's words, though there was no hint of real concern or kindness in his voice, merely irritation and boredom. I suppose that is just what he is like, all the same I think he also likes to hide himself behind a cold mask so that no one will truly understand him at all. Isolation. I think he likes his isolation however his friends make it impossible for him to remain too far out of reach. After the message had played I made to delete it but paused, staring at the machine for a moment before I smiled softly and saved the message instead. It was funny to listen to and I think I would enjoy listening to it again should I ever feel down.

Dusting off my hands I went to make myself some food and organise myself for the evening, however as I wandered around the huge penthouse apartment, I could not help but feel extremely lonely. Father was not coming back for at least four weeks and I had no siblings to keep me company. All I had was the sound of music, and even then when all I could think to play were laborious and melancholy tunes, the silence became even more painful to bear.


	8. Chapter 8

It was daring and strictly forbidden by my father, however I could not stay away any longer. I missed my mother so much, I just want to see her even if it is just for a little while. My father need not even know, however as I approached the huge hospital I could not help but feel daunted by the sheer size and how many people there were around. It smelled sterile and too clean, making my nose tingle in distaste as I entered the complex buildings. I could not utter a single sound for my shyness so I had to write down what it was I wanted for the receptionist who gave me instructions on how to find the private room where my mother was being treated.

I thanked her with a bow and hurried off, unable to help but notice the judgemental look she was giving my appearance as her fashionable clothes left mine looking completely undesirable. Tugging at the cuff of my sleeve I walked all the way up to the private wing where at least it was quieter and there were less people. In my hand I carried a violin case, hoping to entertain my mother with some music to cheer her up whilst I also carried a bunch of flowers that I had chosen from a florist on my way. Mother had always liked flowers, so I knew she would enjoy smelling them. Carnations were her favourite so I bought a bunch with every colour imaginable.

Glancing around nervously I bowed my head whenever someone looked my way but for the most part, I went unnoticed. I had parted my hair down the middle and plaited it neatly so that the two braids fell over my shoulders, glasses placed comfortably on my nose as finally I found the room where my mother was being kept. Her name was on the door and I sucked in a breath, thinking to when I had last seen her nearly four months ago, the last time she had been properly well. Her long black hair had just been washed so it was luxurious and shiny, brilliant blue eyes dazzling to look into as she had played a cello duet with me, the both of us smiling broadly as we lost ourselves to the music.

A part of me was afraid to see her again, not knowing what she looked like in comparison to my memory of her. Cancer would having taking its toll on her body, meaning she may not be as I remembered. Did I truly wish to shatter the image of my passionate mother who was always so full of life? It was a gamble, but I wanted to see her again, even if it was just one last time. I want to feel her arms around me and listen to her voice tell me that she loved me. It would be worth it, I must be brave to face my fears.

So with a moment to collect my courage, I opened the door and stepped inside. Her bed was hidden by the drawn curtain so I closed the door behind me and slowly approached. I could see a partially eaten meal had been left upon the desk where several vases of flowers sat, though some had wilted and died. With my breath caught in my throat I slowly walked forwards, seeing her shadow cast by the light that streamed in through the large window. When I stepped around the curtain, I was so shocked that I dropped the flowers without thinking.

She was laying back upon her bed with closed eyes, thin and gaunt with no more luscious black hair spilling around her shoulders. Her body was withered like the flowers, pale and sickly with no more colour in her cheeks. I felt the tears rise and the lump in my throat bulge as I stared, unable to speak, move or even think. This was all that remained of my mother. Little more than a corpse, what had this cancer done to her? Her beauty was no more, completely swallowed by the sickness, yet as I stared, I could still see that same image of her from before. The memory was not shattered, yet the reality was an overwhelming awakening.

For a moment I cried quietly, sniffling and wiping my eyes before I sucked in a deep breath and put down the violin case and picked up the flowers. I poured some water from a jug into one of the vases and discarded the dead flowers, replacing them with the carnations which I then placed at mother's bedside so that when she opened her eyes she would see them. After that I opened up the vase, brought out the violin and began to play. I would play her all of her favourites, sending the music to her through her dreams until after a while I saw her beginning to stir.

Her fingers twitched and her eyes fluttered open, blinking as they suddenly beheld the flowers and a wondrous smile broke out across her face, eyes shining just like they used to. "Megumi, I have missed you my precious little girl." She spoke in a soft voice, slightly weak but just as loving as before. Mother pushed herself up and I stopped playing to rush to her side, placing the violin down to throw my arms around her neck and bury my face into her. "You have grown up, my little princess, you must be at least two inches taller, but why on earth are you wearing such a hideous dress? Oh that father of yours, he has no sense of a woman's needs. You poor thing." She fussed and coddled me, making me smile through my tears as she brushed them away. "There now my princess, it's alright. It's alright now." The more she spoke, the more I cried until I was laid against her with sobbing tears, her hands resting upon my head and back to gently caress my hair.

My mother began to chuckle, smiling as I lifted my head. "No doubt your father forbade you to come here, my princess, you are naughty to disobey him but I am glad that you did. Come now, do not cry so or you shall make your face swell and I shall not have that." Her eyes dazzled me, beautiful like a clear summer sky and filled with the same warmth as she picked up a handkerchief from her side table and dabbed at my face, brushing away the tears until I was calm once more. "Now, how about you play some more for your poor mother? I have missed the sound of music and these nurses never know good classical music even when I tell them exactly what I want, they always get my preferences wrong and always forget. Honestly, it is as if decent music does not even exist in the outside world anymore." I smiled at her sarcastic tone before I picked up the violin once more and began to play, opening the window at mother's request so that she could enjoy the warmth of the sun and the fragrant breeze as she lifted some of the flowers from the vase and smelled them contentedly.

The tune I played was melodic and calming, filled with emotion as my fingers danced across the strings, mother's face an angelic appearance of happiness as I moved with the swell of the music. Eventually the door opened slightly and a few nurses poked in their heads to listen before opening the door wide and soon enough, my music was filling the halls and other patients would lift their heads and sigh as the music washed over them. I did not even notice that I had an audience as the only audience I cared about was my mother. I played until my fingers ached where she then beckoned me to her side where she had me sit beside her where she then fiddled with my hair, rearranging it into a loose flow with one section pulled back and pinned to my head before she then placed several of the carnations in my hair, ones of orange, blue and red.

"There, my beautiful little princess, now all we need is for you to have a proper dress then you will look perfect. Honestly, what an awful dress." I giggled silently as I nodded my head in agreement as she tugged at the severe collar and tittered her tongue. "Not even my grandmother would have worn something like this. I shall give him a stern talking to and have some new clothes sent to you. For now, why don't you tell me all about your school. Your father tells me that he has enrolled you in Ouran Highschool Academy, yes?" I nodded my head and opened my mouth, however the sound would not appear. The chain tightened around my neck and I flinched, almost being able to imagine the pain but before my mother could see that something was wrong, there was a knock at the door. "Enter."

"Forgive the intrusion." I sat bolt upright and turned with a rush of my hair and almost fell off the bed as I stared at Kyoya Ootori. What on earth is he doing here? I know that this is one of his family's hospitals, but surely he would have no reason to be here unless it was for his father. "But it is time for your treatment, Akiyama-san, your daughter will have to leave for today." He informed and instantly I gripped onto my mother's hand, not wanting to leave her.

"Very well Kyoya-kun." She sighed, suddenly looking exhausted and with a flash I realised that I must have drained all her energy as she had forced herself to appear lively just for me so that I would not worry. This must be partly why father never wanted me to see her, he knew she would put on a show just for me so that I would not be affected. Now I felt selfish and it must have shown in my face as my mother smiled lovingly at me. "Do not look so sad, my little princess, I shall be perfectly well looked after here and I can have all the rest I need. You just remember to work hard at your music and studies so that you can have a good life and I shall be cheering for you right here." She told me as she brushed back a lock of my hair. "Do not mind what your father says, you come and see me whenever you wish and I shall be here waiting for you always." Nodding my head I reached forwards and kissed her face, embracing her one last time before I slid down from the bed.

Kyoya watched patiently as I put the violin away then walked towards the door, looking back to my mother one last time as she smiled. "I love you my little princess." I smiled at that, nodding my head and placing a finger to my heart before then touching it to my lips and blowing it to her to answer that I love her too. I had always had problems with speech, so that was our way of saying that we loved one another. It was the best that I could manage at the moment, but I vowed I would work hard to be able to say that I loved her too very soon.

Turning my head away I allowed Kyoya to guide me back through the door whereby I exhaled deeply, taking a moment to myself to allow everything to wash over me. The cancer was attacking her body and trying to take her away from me but she was fighting so hard to continue living. The doctors were apparently hopeful for a recovery as she was responding well to the treatments, so I shall do my best to ensure that my mother has all she needs from now on. I shall not be negligent as before. "Akiyama, you should return home now. Your father will be displeased to learn that you disobeyed him and came here. I was alerted by staff to your presence since I was here, however next time I cannot promise that your father will not find out that you have come visiting your mother."

For a moment I was so confused by his words that I forgot to be nervous by his presence. Did this mean he was not going to tell on me to my father? That was considerate of him, extremely considerate. In fact he would be the one to get into trouble should his own father find out that he had deliberately not informed my father of my disobedience, it was a huge risk. Then it hit me. Kyoya did not actually make me nervous to be close to. He was standing right by my side and even had one hand upon my shoulder which made me start in surprise, staring at the hand before he then removed it, assuming that it made me uncomfortable. My heart beat a little faster as I gulped, a little nervous now that I was overthinking his presence. With a quick bow to him I dashed away with my violin case, quickly escaping before he could even speak to offer me a lift home. I wanted to get as far away from him as possible. It was unusual for me to not feel overwhelmed by a boy's presence, my cousin having left such a terrible impression on me that it had momentarily thrown me. It was curious and bewildering, however as I jumped onto the train to return home, I found my hand slowly drifting up to where his hand had touched my shoulder.

Strange. His hand had felt warm.


	9. Chapter 9

Clothes. So many clothes…and they were all so cute! My mother had not lied when she said that she was going to buy me a new wardrobe, I had so many new clothes that I could scarce believe my eyes. They were all dazzling and there were so many colours that I could not even believe my eyes as the maids carried up the boxes and unwrapped them before me, putting them away neatly in my wardrobes as I simply stared. Instead of the dreary and old fashioned styles of my previous clothes, these were all modern and beautiful with so many different styles and types but also some were traditional kimonos, appropriate for every season and event. Not only were there clothes but pairs upon pairs of new shoes that would fit every need possible.

Once everything was neatly put away I looked to my old clothes of black and grey, knowing that I would have to keep them on hand in order to satisfy my father, however whilst he was not here…I suppose I can dress as I liked. Do you think that would be alright? I am certain it would make my mother happy to see me dressed in something cheerful and cute. I wonder what Kyoya would think. As soon as the thought crossed my mind, I quickly blushed and turned my head aside. What a silly thing to think, it does not matter what Kyoya would think of me dressed as a normal girl, even if we were betrothed. There is no confirmation that we are to be engaged anyway.

Glancing around I began to strip down before reaching out for something different to wear. I chose a pretty blue pleated skirt and a shirt with matching collar, tying the necktie off neatly before I flicked out my hair and turned towards the mirror, blinking before smiling at myself. It was so cute! I liked it. I simply have to show my mother. Spinning around I hurriedly went and selected an instrument or two to take with me so that I could play for her again. Whilst I darted around the penthouse I also picked up a family photo and placed it in my bag also to give to her so that she could look across and be reminded of father and I.

On my way I also picked up some chocolates and a few of her favourite things, stockpiled with gifts before I went over to the hospital and the moment I was registered on the guest list I ran all the way to her room, barely even knocking before I was bursting into her room with a huge smile on my face, making her blink and look up. "Why! If it isn't my adorable little Megumi! Look at you sweetie, don't you look just the cutest thing? I knew those clothes were a good choice. Do you feel happier now?" She asked me and I nodded my head as I put down the presents and gifts at the end of her bed and flung my arms around her, embracing her tightly. "You're such a good girl, my princess, are those all for me?" Excitedly I nodded my head and began to unpack everything, fussily going about her room as she unwrapped her chocolates to get rid of the dead flowers and dust down a little.

Opening the window I allowed the warm sunlight inside and drew back the curtains, making my mother smile contentedly. "Ah! It has been so long since I have had such delicious treats. You are such a good girl Megumi." My mother beamed as she selected a chocolate and ate it. Skipping happily forwards I set up the new flowers and the photo, making sure everything was neat and tidy before lifting up the instrument case to offer to play for her. "So considerate, please play for me Megumi and open the door, I am certain that everyone shall want to hear you play." If I was playing for my mother then I could play for anyone in the world also. With a happy smile I set up the flute and warmed up, running through a few scales before beginning to play.

Instantly the youth seemed to return to my mother's face as she leaned back against her propped pillows and exhaled happily, closing her eyes to listen to me play for her. Soon enough I had attracted attention, nurses popping their heads in to listen as I conveyed my love and feelings through my music to my mother. When I had finished she clapped and praised me, making me the happiest girl in the world. To see her smile that way was the richest reward I could ever ask for, it was as if the music had breathed life back into her face which was now rosy and bright. "My talented little girl is growing up so fast! You make me so proud Megumi." Heart leaping for joy I beamed and hurriedly jumped up onto the bed to sit next to her so that she could wrap me up in her arms.

We stayed like that for a while, happy with one another's company until one of the nurses came in and politely bowed. "Forgive the intrusion, Akiyama-san, but the wonderful music has been heard by some of our patients and they would like to hear more as it brings them comfort. Would it be possible for the young mistress to come and play for the others too? I know it would bring smiles to their faces as she plays so beautifully." The nurse smiled to me and I blushed bashfully as my mother stroked my head, turning her head to look at me.

"I think that that's a wonderful idea. What do you think Megumi? Would you like to play for everyone else in the hospital?" She asked and I considered it a moment before nodding my head. If I can bring them some comfort in this daunting place then I would be more than happy to play. So I kissed my mother on the cheek and picked up my instruments, carrying the flute, the violin and the saxophone with me as my mother waved me off from the bed. "Come back before you leave, my princess, so that I can say goodbye properly. Be good now and mind your manners." Nodding my head I bowed at the door before following the nurse who took me first to a ward full of upper class senior citizens, their withered features looking withdrawn and weakened.

Sucking in a deep breath I began to play for them and almost immediately the people stirred, looking over and twitching as I played the happiest and most pretty tunes I could of think of, wanting to bring them joyous thoughts and memories whilst they were in this place. Some were even moved to tears and as I took a break, I smiled to them all. "What a treasure, you are such a delightful child and you dress so neatly." One of the old ladies said to me in approval so I bowed to her in thanks. "Play for us again sometime, young lady. Hearing such music brings joy to my ears, I feel better already." I was glad that my music had reached them.

After that I was taken to the children's ward where I blinked before beginning to sparkle inwardly. Such adorable children! But the poor things all looked miserable as it was medicine time and some were wailing, wanting their parents or their nurses so I took out my violin next and began to play tunes that they would recognise such as nursery rhymes and fun songs that were in popular culture today. Instantly they began to laugh and smile, watching as I moved about the room with the sway of the rhythm in an almost dance like manner. "Wow! She's good!" Feeling a little brightened some of the children got up and out of their beds, flinging back their covers to come and prance about me, laughter filling the ward as I played like a pied piper and the nurses all smiled contentedly to see their patients so bright and lively.

"Onee-chan, we're so happy you're here, will you come and play for us again?" When I felt a little fist grip onto my skirt I blinked and looked down, seeing a little boy gazing up at me with winsome orbs and I was suddenly reminded of Mitsukuni-sempai. He was just the cutest thing! Smiling softly I crouched down in front of him and nodded my head, lifting my hand and rubbing back his hair as his expression brightened increasingly before he threw up his hands in celebration. "Yay! You're the best onee-chan, bring candy next time, okay?" He grinned up before skipping back to his bed, making me blink before I laughed inwardly. So cheeky, these kids really are the cutest thing. Returning all my instruments to their cases before lifting my hand in farewell to the children, giving them a bow and they all chorused a goodbye as I turned around.

The nurse led me back to my mother's room however since she was sleeping I did not disturb her. Putting down my bags and everything I walked over and took her hand in mine, smiling lovingly to her as I leaned it against my cheek and exhaled. She looked so content in sleep, I hope she could still hear my music across the hospital and that it had brought her comfort. Knowing that it was getting late I reached forwards and kissed her face, catching her familiar scent with a smile before I then drew back and picked up my things once more. I looked back one last time at the door before then bowing to the nurse who blinked in surprise before smiling to me.

"Thank you for your visit, young mistress. I'll be certain to tell Miss Akiyama that you came back and said a proper goodbye before you left." She assured me so I relaxed, looking at her gratefully before I turned and left the hospital. As I walked off the premises I turned and looked up to the window where my mother lay peacefully. I wanted her to get better soon, it was terribly lonely out here in the world without her there with me. A breeze suddenly lifted my hair and I flinched back from it instinctively, blossom petals catching on my glasses so I put down my bag and took them off to clean them.

Immediately I struggled to see, blinking against the blurry images however without my glasses on my face did not look so contorted. My eyes were actually larger than behind the glasses and the frames did not swallow my entire face. After I had properly cleaned them I shook out my hair and slid them back onto my face, pushing them up my nose however as my vision returned I suddenly realised that someone was standing opposite me and instantly my mouth dropped open slightly.

Kyoya Ootori stood there before me, seemingly surprised to see me here again however he quickly recovered with a rather sinister smile as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "My, my, back again are we? We are playing a dangerous game, aren't we?" He questioned as he looked directly at me. It was strange, somehow by just looking at him I could feel everything inside me begin to tremble, even the blood in my veins but it wasn't out of fear or anxiety like usual. An unusual warmth spread across my chest I couldn't help but smile at him. I was oddly happy to see him. My smile seemed to catch him off guard so I picked up my things and walked forwards, lifting my head to look at him directly.

I wish I could ask him about our fathers' arrangements and what it all meant, however as I opened my mouth and tried to speak, the chain suddenly clenched down on my throat and I stopped, thinking better of it. It is not my place to ask, so I shall simply find out for myself. Politely I gave him a bow so that I did not appear rude before stepping around him, admiring how the petals looked as they danced on the breeze. I hope mother can smell them, I know that she always loved late spring. Just as I had passed Kyoya, however, his voice made me stop and look back. "Your bags look heavy. Please, allow me to escort you home. I think there is something that you and I should discuss." Blushing slightly I looked to my bags and instruments before gratefully nodding my head in acceptance.

With a snap of his fingers a chauffeur suddenly appeared and took them from me, making me blink as Kyoya then placed his hand upon my shoulder. This immediately made me stiffen but I did not react as I did with others. The kindness I felt in his touch was unmistakable, warm and gentle as he guided me towards his flashy limo which he had just arrived in. Didn't he have other things that he needed to be doing? Perhaps I should not have agreed, it was selfish to not consider how I would be wasting his time. Glancing upwards I found myself being directed to the door which was being held open for me so I stepped inside, neatly arranging my skirt as I sat down on the seat before then lacing my fingers together in my lap, sitting like a proper lady as Kyoya got in after me and sat opposite, giving the address to the chauffeur who closed the door after us then drove off.

"I should have known you would not stop coming to visit your mother, perhaps I did not make myself clear." He began, face clouding over darkly as he fixed his glasses. "Your father has strictly forbidden you to see your mother whilst she is so desperately poorly, therefore I cannot in good conscience allow you to continue visiting when it is expressly against your father's wishes." This made me stop for a moment, observing him.

Kyoya was very strict with himself and disciplined, possibly because he is the youngest son of his family and has the most to prove and this was now being pushed onto me. Obedience was something I had always been good at, however I am beginning to learn that if I am to find my own happiness, I must stray from the path that others have carved for me. With this in mind, I shall visit my mother whenever I please! My eyes narrowed before closing, hand reaching up to pull off my glasses so that my vision blurred though I could still make out his face and where his eyes were. It was always easier to glare at someone when I wasn't able to see the expression they were returning, so I maintained my deep glower before then proudly cleaning my glasses and putting them back on.

To further prove my point I turned my head and gazed out the window to watch the world drift by. Riding in cars had always calmed me, I think it was the gentle vibrations of the engine. "Another matter I wish to discuss with you." Kyoya continued after clearing his throat, recovering from his surprise. "Seeing that I know you are very observant, it stands to reason that you are aware of our fathers' intention to marry us." The way he stated it so calmly made me jolt as my cheeks went bright red, a hand jumping to my heart as it hammered powerfully in my chest. "I wish for you to know that it was not my idea nor my wish, however it seems that we will be stuck with one another for a while until settlements can be bartered. In the meantime, we shall have to keep up appearances. In three weeks upon the return of your father, a formal gathering is to be held where our engagement shall be announced. Until then…" Kyoya suddenly darkened once more, menacing eyes fixing upon me and I flinched. "Do not do anything to embarrass the Ootori name, or yours for that matter."

This was a different side of Kyoya that I have not seen before, though in fairness I hardly knew him at all. For all I knew I could simply be ignorant and naïve by his kind acting without noticing his true nature, but I do not think that a person like that could be friends with Tamaki and the others seeing as how open and friendly they were. He was certainly confusing, but once again he was the only person to bother telling me what was happening in advance. It truly was considerate of him. With this thought in my mind I could not help but smile at him, touching a hand to my chest as I bowed my head in gratitude. At least I had time to prepare and attempt to sort things myself.

Turning my head I continued to gaze out of the window until I felt my eyes begin to drift close, lulled by the engine until I was sleeping peacefully against my arm until I was awoken by the sensation of coming to a stop and the engine cutting out. Blinking I realised that I was already home at the hotel so I stretched and rubbed my eyes, feeling a little dreamy still until I looked up and found Kyoya had been watching me the entire time. Blushing instantly I looked away, glad for when the door opened as I hurriedly stepped out. As my bags were retrieved I bowed to Kyoya who nodded his head. "You are welcome. Please remember what I said and take heed. I cannot always be there to smooth things over for you." His words caught my attention. Had he hidden the fact that I visited the hospital from his family and my father on purpose? I am not certain if he was the kind of person who would go to such lengths for another, but as I looked into his eyes I decided that I wanted to find out.

Smiling brightly I lifted my hand to wave as the porters took my bags for me, allowing me to simply turn and walk inside as my heart continue to beat quickly. Perhaps being engaged and even married to Kyoya would not be such a bad thing. After all, he was very attractive. Blushing furiously I slapped my cheeks to wake myself up from my reverie before returning back to the penthouse where I lived, deciding to get a head start on my study for next week.


	10. Chapter 10

In order to learn more about Kyoya I had decided to return to the Host Club. It was a brave decision for me as I was nervous, however as the door opened for me I was glad that only Haruhi greeted me. "Welcome back Megumi-san, we're so glad that you're here." She told me sweetly and I bowed to her in greeting, stepping inside and glancing around. Thankfully no one else seemed to have noticed I had arrived as they were busy with their guests, leaving just Haruhi and I. "Who would you like to request today? Would you like me to tell you about each of our hosts?" She was so sweet and polite that I could not help but adore her as I smiled and shook my head, instead raising my hand and pointing delicately towards her. "I would be glad to be your host today ma'am, please follow me and choose a seat."

The tables looked rather crowded today and I recognised no one else here so I glanced around before pointing to a window seat. "Are you sure? Won't you be lonely over there?" I shook my head so Haruhi took me over to the window where I sat down upon the comfortable pillows with a little table next to me and she kindly brought me tea and some cake to partake of so I thanked her with a bow of my head before settling. "Please call me over if there is anything that you need, we are happy to provide you with anything that you might need to make your stay more comfortable and enjoyable." Haruhi said to me and I nodded my head in understanding before pulling out one of my books to study, sunning myself at the window whilst everyone else chatted away and the peaceful ambience comforted me.

Perhaps one day I shall be able to interact like a normal person with others, it would be nice to tell someone how I am feeling and ask them how their day went. The tea was very good and I sipped it happily, occasionally looking up to see Kyoya entertaining his guests. He wore such a nice smile, however I could not help but feel it was forced, it felt a little too unnatural and as the girls all fawned and cooed over him, I noticed how he would always lean slightly away from them, angled away as if he wanted to be anywhere else in the world, or at least to be doing something practical.

Apparently there were more layers to this person then I could unravel in a single day, so it appears I shall need more time to properly understand him. "Meg-chan! We're so happy that you've come back! Right Taka-chan?"

"Yeah." I blinked as I looked at Mitsukuni-sempai and Takashi-sempai as they appeared before me, taking me by surprise however I quickly recovered and smiled to Mitsukuni as he tried to climb up onto the window seat with me so I extended my hand, offering it to him and immediately he grinned cutely. His hand gently placed itself in mine and I worried that it was a little cold as he jumped up onto the rather high ledge and sat opposite me. "Is Meg-chan enjoying her time with us? You should eat more cake! The cake is always very good and it is my favourite food in the entire world, especially chocolate cake with strawberries." He said to me as Takashi-sempai towered over us and I could not help but feel intimidated, flinching when he moved to unfold his arm and his eyes darted to the movement. Without a word he retreated back, giving me more space and I blushed with embarrassment. Honestly I was so rude, but he's so scary and tall. "Meg-chan?"

Blinking I looked up again before nodding to Mitsukuni-sempai without realising what I was getting myself into. Suddenly I had cake thrust towards me and I blinked at it, seeing that my sempai was already helping himself so I politely took a bite. It was rather rich and I did not care much for sweets, but it was tasty. I found chocolate a little too sweet for me however I did my best to eat as much as I could before it became a little too much. "Meg-chan? Are you full up already? Never mind, I'll finish your cake for you!" Without hesitation Mitsukuni-sempai took the plate from me and was wolfing it down as fast as possible, however in his haste he accidentally swallowed a strawberry hole and to my horror, he began to choke.

"Oh no! Honey-kun!"

"He's choking, someone help him!" The girls all panicked and with a whirl Takashi came racing however I had flung the table out of my way, hearing it crash as with alarm I reached out and grabbed Mitsukuni and turned him around, standing behind him as I gripped my fist and quickly delivered the Heimlich manoeuvre before then forcefully smacking his back, helping to dislodge the strawberry a little as he began to go a little blue in the face so with a final blow the strawberry came flying out of his mouth and he collapsed.

I was quick to catch him and as Mitsukuni coughed and dragged air back into his small body I stared, looking down at him in slight shock and bewilderment. What am I supposed to do now? Slowly my senior lifted his head and looked at me, eyes wide and large before all at once they filled with tears and he wailed loudly, flinging himself onto me and gripped on tightly as he sobbed into my dress. Oh my, he must have been really frightened. Choking is nothing to joke about, I remember once accidentally swallowing a king prawn before I had chewed it properly and my mother had almost had a fit of worry whilst my father dislodged it for me.

"Meg-chan, that was so scary! Thank you for saving me!" He continued to wail and I felt my heart fly out to him so I reached around him and embraced him, his head nestling neatly into my shoulder as I reassured him the best I could.

"My goodness, wasn't Megumi-chan amazing? She acted so quickly!"

"Poor Honey-kun, I hope this doesn't put him off strawberry cake." The girls all whispered around us as they crowded close and instantly I stiffened, looking around fearfully as they enclosed us in. Instantly my pulse quickened and I closed my eyes to block it all out, wanting to run however suddenly I felt a rush of cool air around me and Takashi-sempai was there with his arms barring outward, ordering everyone to step back and give us both some air. I blinked at him in surprise, managing to look him in the eyes as he turned to me before then kneeling down and bowing on the floor, making me panic. He didn't have to bow so low to me! How embarrassing, please lift your head Takashi-sempai!

As my hands fluttered uselessly trying to get him to sit up, I stopped when I heard him speak directly to me. "Megumi Akiyama, you have saved Mitsukuni's life. For that, I am forever in your debt." Debt? No please! All I did was help him cough up a strawberry, anybody could have done it I didn't mean to make myself a hero or anything! "If there is anything you need, I shall be happy to offer you my services." The girls all swooned at his mysterious tone however I only hid my face and looked away, going flame red.

"That's enough everyone! Please remain calm and return to your seats, there is nothing to be concerned about. Everything is alright." Takashi suddenly announced as he appeared, having everyone step back and return as the Host Club banded together. Haruhi cleaned up the fallen table and cake so I immediately moved to help her after Mitsukuni had been peeled from my waist, Takashi carrying him off over his shoulder as he continued to sob however when he was given cake he returned to normal in a flash. Scary.

"Oh please, do not worry Megumi-chan, allow me." Haruhi insisted but I would not take no for an answer, helping her to pick up the broken parts of china from the tea set and I exhaled. I shall replace them for the club, how clumsy of me. I should have thought more carefully and not panicked so much. "Thank you for your help ma'am, you really are a kind person." Haruhi thanked me and I smiled to her before reaching out and placing my hand on her shoulder, making her blink in surprise before the two of us grinned at one another. I think she might have guessed that I knew her secret, she was very clever after all and it did not take much to notice that I was perfectly fine around her, though no one else had commented on it.

After the excitement had died down I decided I had enough social interaction for one day and gathered my things, however before I could make to leave the twins suddenly blocked me off, standing in my way as they leaned towards me. "Going so soon? But we still have time before we close Megumi-chan, you should stay a little longer." They both said at the same time and I froze slightly, uncertain of how to answer. "Come on, come join us!" Suddenly they both had my arms wound through theirs and they lifted me off the ground together, making me panic and struggle with a kick of my legs but they did not let go until they dropped me down onto a seat in between two girls, making me blush deeply and hug my bag to me for comfort. They were so close and they were both so pretty, I felt completely inferior!

"Megumi-chan right? It's so nice to meet you. Where did you learn how to help someone who was choking like that?" One of them asked me however my tongue felt so heavy that I could not even move it to answer if I wanted to, shrinking further into my bag. "Does your tummy hurt Megumi-chan?"

"She doesn't talk much, she's really shy." The twins supplied helpfully and the girls all cooed over me, fussing like concerned mothers as they gave me tea and encouraged me to lift my head, giving me warm smiles and included me in their conversation. I was surprised, they were all so nice to me and I could not help but feel a little more settled after a while. My heart was still beating frantically in my chest however I wasn't as afraid as before. This was actually…strangely pleasant. Simply being in their company was enough to feel a little more normal however as the clock chimed the hosting club came to a close and I gladly put down my empty cup of tea which had been shaking in my hand at my trembling.

Everyone bade their farewells and left, however as I tried to bow and leave, the twins grasped me once more. "Not so fast, we're not done with you yet." Not having expected them I completely panicked, silently shrieking and throwing my bag up into the air in surrender, dropping to the floor in a dizzy faint as the last girl disappeared through the door and it closed shut upon me, shutting me inside with all these boys and Haruhi.

"Look what you've done you devils, you've made her faint again!" Tamaki yelled in a fluster as he jumped around me trying to fan my face. "Do not worry princess, you'll recover just hang in there!" Instantly I blinked myself awake, hearing that familiar term of endearment and I sat up, looking at him thoughtfully as he exhaled with relief. "Thank goodness. You had me worried for a moment, you seem so fragile and delicate I did thought you had blacked out." His words were so kind as he looked at me with warmth, stretching out his hand towards me with a beautiful light that shone in his eyes which was almost dazzling to look at. No wonder the girls loved him so much. "Please, allow me to assist you." As he continued to hold out his hand I slowly reached towards it, feeling the softness of his palm and the secure strength of his long fingers curl around my hand to help me to my feet.

"Meg-chan! Meg-chan you are my new hero!" Without warning Mitsukuni-sempai had leaped forwards and latched onto my waist with such enthusiasm that the two of us started to spin as he laughed, hugging my waist firmly as he nuzzled me. "Next time I shall be more careful and remember to chew before I swallow, so have cake with me again in case I forget, okay?" He winked at me as we stopped, my head spinning dizzily however Haruhi wisely placed a hand upon my back to help me stand upright and I exhaled gratefully to her before I smoothed out my dress and faced the Host Club, giving them a smile before bowing.

All this time Kyoya had not said a word or even looked at me which was a little disappointing but I did not dwell on it too much. "In repayment for saving Honey-sempai's life, we the Host Club wish to give you something very special to express our gratitude." Tamaki explained as he bowed elegantly.

"Yeah but boss, we don't know what she wants because she doesn't talk, how can we ask her?" The twins questioned together and instantly Tamaki turned on them.

"You devil twins! Don't be so insensitive when the lady in question is standing right in front of you!" He reprimanded them in a fast paced tone as he began to chase them around, berate them and demanding they get back into his reach so he can teach them to be more polite however as they dodged and evaded him, I found myself laughing silently to myself. They were all so funny, really charming and wonderful to observe. "Get back here! You two have done enough to frighten our guest today so insulting them will only make it worse!"

"Calm down Tamaki-sempai, you shouting like that might frighten Megumi-chan more than anything else." Haruhi reasoned calmly and Tamaki instantly whirled around with a heartbroken expression, tears at his eyes as he practically flung himself at my feet and wrapped himself around my ankles, making me blush and gasp in surprise as he wailed.

"Forgive me Megumi-chan I didn't mean to frighten you please don't be angry or upset with me!" he acted like a child most of the time however there was a deep intelligence in his eyes. I think he perhaps acted this way as a means to escape all of his responsibilities, he was the son of a very wealthy man after all, it made sense that he would feel enormous pressure to act and behave perfectly so whenever he got the chance, he would act however he liked. I empathised with him and I couldn't help but feel comforted by knowing that other people out there understood how I felt. So as Tamaki sobbed into my shoes I reached down with my hand and placed it on his head, making him stop and look up at me. For a moment he just looked, however as I smiled down to him and smoothed back his hair affectionately his eyes widened as if in awe, seemingly seeing me properly for the first time. Finally he smiled, sitting up properly as I remained leaning down towards him, hand still resting on his head. "I see, my apologies if I startled you but I am glad that you feel more at ease around us." He said as he stood up once again.

"Hey boss, how come you get accepted just like that? You're the loudest and weirdest of us all."

"I am not!" He protested and I giggled behind my hand again as Haruhi returned my bag to me. She was so sweet and thoughtful, I should like to be her friend one day. A real friend, I should like that. As everyone else argued Haruhi led me over to the door and opened it for me, encouraging me to leave whilst I had the chance. Agreeing that if I didn't leave now then I would never be able to escape from the others without passing out again from their overwhelming energy and presence, I slipped through the door after a final bow and disappeared from sight, feeling giddy and light hearted at school for the first time in a long while.


	11. Chapter 11

Hacking into my father's servers wasn't exactly my favourite thing to do but it was the only way I could keep an eye on things. Most of the time he handled things himself, but my father was a very impatient man and usually acted out in anger, so things tended to unravel from time to time but I was always there to patch things together. Like now, for instance. Due to him erasing numerous files in an outburst, he now needed them back for his next presentation however had not realised that he had deleted them and I had received a call from his assistant asking me to look for backups.

I knew my father never made backups. For all his genius with medicine and machinery, computers had never been something he could grasp. So with that in mind I hacked into his server and retrieved the files, reading over them and finished off the presentation for him as there was no time for him to do so himself. It was all about his new thesis and I found it incredibly fascinating. I used his notes to complete it before returning the files to their original place for him to find, saving copies to his email and sent another copy to his assistant also. With the crisis averted, I smiled to myself as I logged out and drifted away.

Today I wore a dress of rosebuds and pink chiffon, happily feeling rather girly as I walked about the penthouse wondering what to do. All my work was completed and I had been playing music for the last few hours before the call had come. I knew my cousin was in town and would probably attempt to stop by as a means to tease me for entertainment, so I sent a message down to the desk to let my cousin know I was not in should he arrive and by no means was he to be allowed up. The maid carried the written message for me and I smiled to myself. I felt more confident recently, it was a wonderful feeling.

A week had gone by since my father had left and I was beginning to feel increasingly lonely. After Kyoya's warning I had not been back to the hospital in three days and I was beginning to wonder if I should go back. He did not command me yet, after all, I wasn't his wife or his fiancée so he had no say in what I did and did not do. Decision made, I selected the instrument I was going to take with me, choosing a shimisen as it would appeal to all ages as it could make the most beautiful sounds. Ever since beginning to go to the hospital I had become quite adept at taking the bus and I liked listening to the conversations around me as well as observing people. There were a few couples today, snuggling close and holding hands and the interaction made me smile dreamily. I would like that with someone someday, it would be nice.

Stepping off the bus at the correct stop I walked down the road to the large hospital building, entering inside without hindrance however when I got to the desk, the receptionist looked up at me with recognition. "I'm sorry but I cannot allow you to visit today, your mother has been strictly ordered to rest without disturbance." This made my heart falter a little but I did not give up, giving a sweet smile to the lady before gesturing to my instrument case, patting it gently before then pointing to one of the ward signs, the one for children. "Oh! You want to play for the patients again? Well there's nothing saying you can't do that, I'll have a nurse escort you young miss." She beamed at me before calling someone over.

I did not recognise the nurse however she seemed to know me as she complimented me on my playing and chatted away as she took me back to the children's wards where I saw several familiar faces. "Onee-chan!" They chorused and I waved to them, glad to see their bright smiles. "Are you here to play for us? You kept your promise!" They were ushered back to their beds by the nurses as I set myself up, one of the nurses kindly bringing me a seat which I perched on before beginning to play. Their eyes all seemed to sparkle as I lulled them with sweet melodies and enchanting lullabies, fingers easily dancing up and down the string as the children all basked in the sound that surrounded them.

As I played I thought of my mother, wishing that I could play for her too. Please, let my music reach her, let my feelings fly to her through sound. I gave a small concert for the children, some of them falling asleep to the sound and the nurses all bowed to me in thanks as I then went visiting different wards and all kinds of patients, from ones who were terribly sick to those who were kept in isolation in privacy. I always had to wear a mask in order not to catch any germs, however I did not mind. So long as they could hear my music and I could find a way to comfort them, then that was enough for me.

I knew that my mother's window would be open so I played with all my heart, knowing that she would be able to hear it too. For this time only I shall obey the rules, not wanting to appear impertinent however next time I shall insist that I visit my mother and play for her. I enjoyed playing for everyone and seeing their smiles so long after my fingers were tender and raw I continued to play until finally, I packed up my instrument to leave as I did not want to become a nuisance and outstay my welcome.

For the third time, however, I bumped into Kyoya as I was leaving. This time he was smiling, leaning against the wall as I stopped and tilted my head curiously. How was it he was always here when I was? Stepping forwards he approached me, eyes observing me carefully as I blushed and swallowed hard. "I see there is no stopping you. Of course you would come back and play your music again, even if you _didn't_ go and see your mother." He mused, seemingly impressed by my reading between the lines. "You are quite curious, Miss Akiyama. Quite curious indeed." Curious myself I pointed my finger to him, silently asking why he was always here. "This hospital is one of those under my supervision, I come to ensure that things are being managed properly. Also, I have an alert set for whenever you arrive, Miss Akiyama, so that I can ensure that you stay out of trouble." Now that was a bit presumptuous of him and I frowned, arching an eyebrow before exhaling.

I guess there's no escaping it, he was determined to do his best to have me obey my father but he has another thing coming if he thinks he can stand between me and my mother. I shall go through him if I have to. "Shall I escort you home? I have my car waiting outside for us." He questioned, reaching out his hand however I lifted my chin and walked past him, my pride getting the better of me and he started in shock, turning around to watch me walk away from him with my head held high. I was learning something new about him every time I met him, though each time I was more confused than before. How am I going to manage this arrangement if I cannot even make sense of him?

To my understanding, the arrangement was strictly business but I could not help but sense that there was something else underlying the issue. Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I focused on getting home first. Once I was there I logged onto my extensive computer system and booted everything up, cracking my fingers before beginning to work my magic. Of course it was no easy task to hack into the Ootori system, however for a computer genius like me it didn't take me long to figure out a way in. Their security system was quite impressive, however my servers had been designed by yours truly and could not be traced. They'll never find out it was me as I had the signal bouncing all over the world, they couldn't possibly pinpoint the location.

Opening up a few emails I scanned through them, searching for anything concrete but nothing came up so far and although I searched, the Ootori family did not give me anything which allowed me to accuse them of fraud or scandal. It was mildly irritating and I pouted as I ended my search, leaning back in my chair with a long sigh. I know they were up to something but of course, there was no paper trail. It was a feeling in my gut that I couldn't shake, but perhaps I was wrong. My father knew what he was doing and often had a good sense about people, maybe I am just being paranoid because of the whole engagement thing.

Quickly I snapped myself awake. I cannot give up. I shall continue my search until I am absolutely certain that the Ootori family are as squeaky clean as they appear to be, only then would I be satisfied to enter into a contract with them. Though that being said, I probably had no say in the matter. Feeling hungry I prepared myself some food, making a note that my supplies were running low, however just as I began to cook myself some curry and rice, the door opened and a maid bowed. "Pardon the intrusion miss, but you have a visitor. I mean, lots of visitors." She informed me and I blinked before all at once the Host Club came piling inside.

"Megumi-chan!" Tamaki announced brightly, throwing his arms wide open before his eyes sparkled. "Megumi-chan you look so cute dressed like that! Haruhi, you should wear a dress just like that!" Tamaki announced without thinking and everyone went deadly quiet, the twins looking at him with deadpan expressions as he froze, making a small sound of disbelief at his own slip of the tongue barely two seconds through the door.

"Way to go boss, you screwed up big time." They chorused together as Tamaki seemed to shatter like glass before he collapsed to the floor.

"I'm so sorry Haruhi! Forgive daddy for not thinking!" He wailed comically as Haruhi walked over to me.

"Guys it's fine, Megumi-chan has known I was a girl from the very start." She told them all before she smiled at me in greeting. "Pardon the sudden visit but they dragged me here I hope you don't mind." Ignoring everyone's open mouthed stares I noted to myself that everyone was here except Kyoya. He must still be at the hospital. To Haruhi I shook my head and smiled to her in greeting before extending my hand towards the food where she sniffed. "Wow, that smells amazing. I didn't know you could cook Megumi-chan."

"Wait a second." Hikaru spoke, making us both look back at the others innocently.

"You mean to tell us…" Kaoru continued before they both finished the sentence together. "That you knew all along that Haruhi was a girl?" Tamaki stared at us before suddenly shrieking, gripping his head and I flinched slightly as Mitsukuni-sempai came bounding over.

"If you're making food Meg-chan, would it be alright if we all stayed for dinner? I brought cake to have for dessert!" He informed me brightly with Usa-chan tucked under his arm, Takashi-sempai holding the wide assortment of cake slices in a fancy box tied off with a bow and my eyes looked down to his sparkling face. How could I refuse? Nodding my head he immediately began to celebrate, the twins also coming over to sniff the cooking pot.

"It does smell good, we want some too."

"Now hold on a moment! We didn't come here to eat all of Megumi-chan's food!" Tamaki protested however when his stomach growled loudly we all looked at him blankly as he blushed with embarrassment and tried to hide the noise. He was so funny, he really was an adorable guy. Walking over to him Tamaki looked to me in surprise as I welcomingly stretched out my hand and took his, drawing him to a seat at the table which sat low to the ground, inviting everyone to do the same as I fetched tea and lemonade according to what people wanted though Haruhi insisted on helping me to cook, the both of us dicing up ingredients as everyone else watched in fascination.

I tied back my hair into a ponytail to keep it out of the way, Haruhi and I both wearing aprons as not to get our clothes dirty. This was the first time I had cooked with someone since my mother had gone into hospital and it was a truly nostalgic feeling, making me tear up a little so I quickly rubbed my eyes and continued to cook. "This is a different recipe to the one I use, am I doing it right Megumi-chan?" Haruhi asked and I nodded my head in reassurance, turning down the heat a little so that it would simmer properly.

Using up the last of my ingredients I made plenty of appetisers, carrying them over to the boys who all marvelled at the food before tucking in, enjoying it all so much that it was fast disappearing so with a flourish I undid Haruhi's apron and made her sit down, pouring her a drink so that she could relax a little. I have no idea why they were here but I was glad they were, I was starting to feel a little too lonely again but then as if they were answering a prayer they had appeared. "This is super tasty Meg-chan! Did your mommy teach you how to cook?" Feeling warmed that they liked my food I nodded my head.

"Is that her over there?" The twins pointed to a picture and I nodded again, seeing my mom's smiling face from the family portrait that hung up on the wall. "She's pretty, you don't look anything like her."

"Do not be so rude you devil twins!" Tamaki scolded before he bowed his head to me. "Megumi-chan, we apologise for arriving without warning, but I just couldn't bear to think of you all alone up here in your high tower with no one to keep you company after Kyoya mentioned that your father was away, so here we are!" Kyoya had spoken about me? I'm blushing, I must be blushing because I feel extremely hot in my face.

"Tama-chan called us all up and everyone agreed to come and see where you lived, I wanted to see if you had any cute toys!" Mitsukuni-sempai announced however I felt that I would have to disappoint him as I didn't have any toys at all. I had donated them all to a children's charity last year and my father did not believe in cuddly toys, saying that they encouraged childish and immature behaviour. I had no idea what my father would think about Mitsukuni seeing as he was older than I was but acted like an eight year old child.

Lifting my head I looked back to the kitchen and went to check on thinks, stirring carefully before stretching up my hand to reach for some spices. They were slightly out of reach so I placed my knee onto the counter to climb up, reaching it down however before I could descend someone placed their hands on my waist and lifted me down, making me stiffen as I sensed Takashi-sempai behind me. "If you need help, just ask." He said to me with a finger pointing to the spice I held in my hand. As I looked into his eyes, I finally understood that he wasn't scary at all, he was actually filled with a lot of care and concern for those smaller than him.

Smiling I reached out and patted him three times on the head, showing him my gratitude however he inhaled slightly, staring at me as he then looked to my hand. What? Was that a step too far? "Looks like Mori-sempai has also been accepted. No fair. We're the last ones other than Kyoya-sempai." The twins suddenly spoke directly behind me and I freaked, hairs standing on end as I nearly dropped the spices. Takashi sent them a look which banished them with a bored sigh away from the kitchen, however when I saw the others looking at all the instruments I panicked and raced over.

Before Tamaki could reach out and take down one of my mother's prized violins I stepped in front of him and flung out my hands, blocking the way with a pleading expression. I tried to form the words, mouth opening and moving but no sound came out no matter how hard I tried as Tamaki blinked at me, however he seemed to understand. "These must be very precious to you and your mother, am I right?" He asked before gesturing to another picture of my mother playing the cello. "We won't touch them, you have my word." He vowed and I exhaled with relief before reaching out and taking his hand, drawing him over to the grand piano where I pulled off the covering and extended my hand, offering him freedom to play it. Looking like a child on Christmas day Tamaki sprang into the seat and began to play, making Haruhi lift her head and watch him curiously.

Smiling happily Mitsukuni-sempai warned off the twins from touching anything with pride, telling them that it might make me cry if they broke something so they sat down obediently, but I could tell they were bored so I opened up one of the closets and pulled out the drawers, showing them a multitude of things which they immediately began to dive through, putting on different uniforms and costumes and rifling through old newspaper clippings and photos to their hearts' content. Satisfied that my guests were entertained I finished up the meal before I clapped my hands, calling everyone to attention and immediately they raced for the table, pressing their hands together and crying out their thanks for the meal as I dished up and served, taking a seat next to Haruhi.

"Hm! So tasty!" Mitsukuni beamed happily as Haruhi took a bite and instantly she reacted.

"This is amazing, I never thought about using this kind of combination before! Megumi-chan, would I be able to have the recipe please? I know my dad would love to try this." I was all too happy to share and I saw a genuine smile on Haruhi's face, bright and free as she ate her food, however before anyone had finished the maid returned to announce another guest. Kyoya stood there, fixing his glasses with a large cluster of papers tucked away in a case under his arm.

"I see you are already making yourselves at home. Did you not consider what an inconvenience this might be to Miss Akiyama?" He questioned however I simply stood up and walked forwards, bowing to him in greeting before I invited him inside. He looked at me quickly before complying, walking forwards and he took a seat with the others as I went and brought him some food. "That is unnecessary, I will eat when I return home." He informed me however I insisted, wanting to make sure that he did not go hungry whilst he was in my home. I placed the food in front of him regardless of what he said before returning to my own seat, once more thanking the universe for the food before eating.

"It would be rude to refuse to eat a meal that Megumi-chan cooked especially for us." The twins said to Kyoya and I noticed his eyebrow twitch in irritation. As everyone else insisted that he at least try it, Kyoya unwillingly picked up his chopsticks and took a bite, chewing carefully and I watched him to await his verdict. Was it too spicy? I hope it wasn't too spicy for him. I'll get him a drink. As an excuse to busy myself I brought tea and lemonade over once more and served everyone, nodding my head every time someone complimented the dish however when I reached Kyoya he moved his hand to cover his cup, signalling he did not want a drink.

"It's fine. Spicy food does not bother me." He said before continuing to eat. The tone was abrupt however the way he was eating signalled that he actually did enjoy it. I was satisfied with that, at least I knew what kind of foods he liked now. We ate our meal together and afterwards we had dessert and I chose the plainest cake I could though Mitsukuni-sempai looked at it in surprise.

"Meg-chan, don't you want a chocolate cake? This one has flowers one it." He offered it to me however I shook my head, pointing to the cake I had in front of me to signal I preferred it. "Oh! Do you like plainer cakes Meg-chan? Do sweet things make you feel sick?" I nodded, glad that he understood however he seemed upset by this fact. "That's so sad Meg-chan, you can't eat all the cake you want otherwise you'll feel yucky!" He said before flinging his arms around me, howling into me as I looked at him in confusion. Why would that upset him so much? I liked plenty of other foods.

"Mitsukuni." Takashi-sempai said sharply to bring his cousin back in line however as Mitsukuni wiped his face I lifted my fork and reached out, taking a small portion of the chocolate cake he had offered me and he blinked, watching me winsomely as I then took the bite and chewed, swallowing it carefully before smiling. He beamed back at me, all tears forgotten as he happily finished off the rest as well as another slice for himself, everyone watching our interaction with different thoughts in their heads, however I noticed painfully that Kyoya was also watching. His eyes were so intense, I could scarcely breathe with him looking at me like that.

Everyone stayed for coffee afterwards, exploring the penthouse before asking to go down to the pool so I loaned a swimsuit to Haruhi, one that had a frilled skirt and a matching top before going down with them all. I did not go into the pool with them, content to sit back and simply enjoy their laughter as they completely took over the pool, splashing around. It was a good thing that it was private otherwise we would be interrupting the guests however when one of the lifeguards came forwards and blew the whistle I held out my arm, signalling that it was alright.

They could play and mess around as much as they wanted to, I was glad that they were enjoying themselves. Tamaki laughed the loudest, splashing around and repeatedly going on the waterslide. Since all of them except Haruhi had brought along their swimwear, I suspected that they had anticipated going into the pool on such a hot day so I ordered ice cream to be brought for everyone as a cooling treat and had them open up the bar for drinks too. I must say, being the daughter of the owner certainly had its perks. In fact the staff seemed overjoyed that I finally had some friends over to explore the hotel and they readily came with whatever we needed, even warming the towels ready for everyone when they would come out of the pool.

"They act like such children at times." Kyoya announced and I almost fell off my deckchair, turning my head to see him lounging next to me under the umbrella, wearing a shirt and shorts with his laptop at his side. "My apologies for us surprising your staff, they must be growing tired of us already." Relaxing I shook my head and pointed to the staff at the bar and the maids waiting with bright smiles near the pool, making Kyoya look to realise that they were happy to be here. "I see, they are glad that you have company." Nodding my head I leaned back on my chair to sun myself a little. It must have been a long time since I last came down here, I never saw the point for as long as I was alone. "Tell me, Miss Akiyama, what is your view on the arrangement being made between us?"

His question caught me off guard and I sat up again to look at him, wondering why he would ask me such a thing. His eyes looked calmly and coolly into mine and I realised that he wanted my answer because he wanted to know what I was thinking. Perhaps I really was an oddity to him, seeing as I did not give much away as regards to my thoughts and that meant I was unpredictable to him. Smirking playfully I pressed a finger to my lips, signalling that it was my secret and he drew back in surprise as I then accepted the ice cream that was brought to me and everyone else immediately clambered to get theirs.

With ice cream, everyone seemed to calm down, floating in the pool on inflatables with their dessert before they were finished and the chaos started again. "Meg-chan! Meg-chan! Can you bring us the ball please? It flew out of the pool!" Mitsukuni called out so I opened my eyes and looked to where he was pointing and saw the ball next to me so I picked it up and carried it over to the edge of the pool and handed it to him. "Thank you Meg-chan!" He grinned before paddling away with his ring, making me smile as I stood back up. Turning around I intended to head back to my chair to doze a little longer, however my foot slipped on the wet surface and as I fell, the maids cried out in horror and everyone turned around.

Quickly I tried to right myself however my other foot slipped as well, my shoes having very poor grip and I felt myself go flying towards the water, pressing my eyes ready for the splash however someone grasped my hand and pulled me back up, another hand going to my back as my legs didn't quite manage to catch my weight. "Are you alright?" Kyoya asked me and my eyes immediately flew open again as he helped me to stand, his grasp gentle and concerned as he continued to hold my hand in his. "You should be more careful, all that splashing around has made everything too wet to walk on. Here, let me help you back to your chair."

Overwhelmed by the worried tone in his voice I couldn't turn my eyes away from him unless it was to look at the way he was delicate holding my hand in his. The maids all swooned at his charming words and I blushed slightly as my pulse quickened, dumbly following him back to my deckchair where he sat me down then crouched before me, lifting one of my feet. "Did you hurt your ankle? I saw you twist it awkwardly." Shaking my head as he tentatively rolled it to ensure there was no pain he exhaled, looking up and fixing his glasses where the mask seemed to settle over him again, voice growing more distant now. "You should be more careful, Miss Akiyama." My mouth dropped open slightly as he stood and walked away, his words rattling around in my head and I did not move again until Tamaki called out my name.

"Megumi-chan! Can we visit the spa now?"

"Spa now! Spa now!" The twins chorused in answer so I leaped to my feet and nodded quickly, bowing to them instinctively before gesturing that they should all follow me. Immediately the maids handed out towels and I went to Haruhi, helping her to wrap up warm and I walked with her to the spa where immediately the staff there stopped and stared.

"My goodness! Has the young mistress truly brought guests of her own?" They questioned and when I nodded, they all squealed with excitement. "How truly marvellous! We shall provide the VIP treatment at once, please come this way young masters, we shall be sure to provide you with every comfort you need."

"This way mistresses, we hope that you enjoy our facilities." Another of the staff maids said to Haruhi and I so I took her hand with a reassuring smile and led her forwards.

"I can't exactly afford to pay for all this you know, I've never even been to a spa before." Haruhi said so I looked to the maid and she quickly explained to me.

"The young mistress has never before brought friends to this establishment, my lady, so of course this means that everything is complimentary as she has shown you all her favour. The young mistress is so kind and wonderful to us, it is the least we can do to show our gratitude!" She said and I blushed. I did not mean that she had to say all that. "We are so happy that Miss Akiyama has brought home friends, we will be certain to do our very best to impress all of you! So please relax and enjoy this experience." Haruhi was soon being treated like royalty alongside me, enjoying massages, a facial treatment, pedicures and manicures as well as the sauna whilst she marvelled at everything.

"This was definitely a good trip though I feel bad I can't repay you in any way." Haruhi said guiltily as she thought hard. "I don't want it to seem like I'm taking advantage or anything…I know!" As if a light bulb went off in her head, Haruhi smiled to me. "It might not be much, but if you ever want someone to cook you a meal then I'd be happy to make you anything you like. I know my dad would like to meet you, I think he'd be glad that I finally found a friend who isn't a boy and is a really nice girl." Her words touched my heart and I beamed, flinging my arms around her to hug her tightly.

Once we had gone through all the treatments I treated Haruhi to a new outfit, having her dress up in a pretty frock of white and purple with a pair of silk evening gloves as the frilled layers shaped her figure prettily whilst I wore the same pink rosebud dress. Her hair had been styled to look more feminine and we'd even got our makeup done, our artists being some of the best available as my father wanted all guests to have whatever they wanted with a snap of their fingers. "I feel so different. This is a really pretty dress." Haruhi mused as she turned around, looking at herself in wonder before smiling. "My dad would freak out if he saw me like this."

"Good thing we took a picture." The twins announced after a flash and I looked across to see everyone else dressed smartly in suits and tuxedos. "Does this mean we're allowed to go to the casino?" Firmly I placed a hand on my hip and wagged a finger at them, telling them that they were too young to gamble so instead I showed them to the entertainment theatre were there was always a show going on. Everyone enjoyed themselves, watching the magician act and trapeze with stars in their eyes as we all partook of the best cuisine our chef's had to offer. The moment the head chef had heard that I had guests of my own he rushed out to meet us, wanting to take our orders personally as he sobbed.

"I'm so happy! The young mistress has finally brought us some of her friends that we may show off our skills! Do not worry my lady, we shall not disappoint you!" He vowed with a deep bow before sprinting back to the kitchens to prepare our food.

"The staff here love you with all their hearts, Megumi-chan, it is a lovely thing to watch." Tamaki said to me warmly and I smiled.

"Of course young master." One of the maids spoke as she bowed. "The young mistress may be quiet but we love listening to her play and she never scolds us for making mistakes. She is understanding and helps to organise our rotas so that we have plenty of holidays and will even help us in our busy times. In fact, all the accounts are kept by our young mistress, we are happy and proud to serve her." The three maids all bowed again as I blushed and waved my hands, trying to say that there was no need to be so kind however they were all smiling so brightly that I don't think they noticed.

"Indeed." Kyoya mused, seemingly interested by this fact so I blushed and looked away. The chef returned with his well wishes and set before us a marvellous meal before then returning to ready dessert as he had heard that Mitsukuni loved cake more than anything in the world. I knew that for the staff, this was also their way of showing their devotion to their jobs but also their chance to serve some of the greatest names of our society. The first time they had each introduced themselves, the staff had near fainted in shock before quickly gathering themselves back together again.

"Wow! Look at how high they're flying!" Haruhi gasped in awe, smiling joyfully and I took the time to look at everyone's expressions. They looked so happy and contented that I felt joy in my own heart. I always enjoyed bringing a smile to someone else's face as it made me feel like I had done something good, no matter how many other ways I might mess up. So long as I could make people smile then that felt like a gift better than any gem.


	12. Chapter 12

"Meg-chan, can we come back again soon?" Mitsukuni questioned as I stood in front of the hotel with a host of staff behind me. In answer I nodded my head and gifted him a free dessert voucher and he squealed happily whilst hugging Usa-chan before flinging his arms around my waist to embrace me. I had become somewhat used to his sudden hugs so I did not react except to place my hand on his head. "If Meg-chan ever feels lonely then she can come visit me at my house, Usa-chan would love to see you there!" He invited before hopping all the way to his car like a bunny, his place being taken by Takashi-sempai who bowed to me.

"Thank you for your time, it was an enjoyable experience." He said seriously and I gave him a smiling look. He never really smiled but I had seen him smile tonight and that was a great achievement in my eyes. As a parting gift at the expense of the hotel I gave him the prizes he had won at the arcade as well as free tokens for next time as I knew he had enjoyed that the most, there had been a light in his eyes and as he received it, I saw it return again briefly. We bowed to one another again and then the twins came up to me next.

"So what do we get? You didn't forget us did you?" They questioned, leaning into me cheekily however as Tamaki boiled over I reached out, making him stop as I lifted both hands and placed them on their heads. I gave three pats as per the now ceremonious custom and instantly they stiffened, shocked at my wordless answer before I then pulled back and gave them tickets to the spa as well as a third for their mother. "Well, that's not bad. We're happy with this." They grinned at me before reaching out and patting my head too, making me feel a little awkward before they got into the car as well.

That left Tamaki, Haruhi and Kyoya. For Haruhi I gifted her the dress, gloves and shoes despite her protests, silencing her with an embrace before she dazedly got into the car, a little star struck but with a dreamy smile as she hugged her dress against her. I guess she could be girly too, so long as the moment was right. "Megumi-chan, I was happy to see you smiling today, that is all the gift I need. Please, call on us if you ever wish for a friend, for you have one eternally right here." He announced, taking my hand and before I knew it, he had kissed my fingers and the maids behind me swooned as he lifted his gaze to mine. "Farewell princess, there is no need for you to feel so lonely anymore." Tears began to rise to my eyes as I stared until all at once they were falling. Such kind and sweet words, Tamaki-kun truly was an amazing person.

Sniffling quietly I quickly wiped my eyes before I nodded my head, giving him an endearing smile before he let me go and stepped back. Kyoya was all that remained so I waved one of the porters forwards and he brought the last two gifts forwards, bowing and presenting one to Kyoya before then giving the last to Tamaki who celebrated comically in the car. Kyoya looked to his blankly before an amused smirk touched his face. It offered him a free full night's stay at the hotel to relax and unwind. I had seen how hard he worked so I wanted to give him the choice to come back and leave his stress behind for a while.

"You have my thanks, Miss Akiyama." He said as he stood before me but before I could answer he had leaned a little closer, turning his head to whisper in my ear. "Or should I call you my bride to be?" I gulped, his sensuous voice sending a shiver down my spine as he hummed with amusement then fixed his glasses and turned away. I stared after him, slowly drawing in a breath before hastily I bowed in farewell, everyone behind me following my example.

"Thank you for your patronage, please come back soon!" They chorused together as the Host Club got into their limo and drove away, rolling down the windows so that they could all wave goodbye so I ran forwards and lifted my hand, smiling so much that my face began to ache. Was this what it felt like to have friends? Amazing…it felt amazing.


	13. Chapter 13

Every other day I went back to the hospital, sneaking in with various disguises to visit my mother and play music for everyone. She always seemed weak however by the time I left she always looked younger and stronger so I did not give up in my endeavours. I thought that I might have gotten the better of Kyoya, however one day when I was making to leave I heard him call out to me from behind. "Your disguise is good but you cannot pull the wool over my eyes, Miss Akiyama." He announced and immediately I froze, clutching my violin case against my chest as a tremor ran down my body. "I recognise the way you walk and only you would be carrying an instrument into a hospital." He's right, but I had tried so hard to hide it by pretending it was a huge parcel, even dressing as a delivery girl once. No one else of noticed but I suppose I should have known he would.

Turning around dejectedly I gave him a guilty smile, relaxing my shoulders as I looked at him whilst he walked forwards. "Ootori-sama, we are so glad that you have come to visit, please come right this way." Instantly I was whirling around, hearing the sound of Kyoya's father, Yoshio, answering and immediately I knew that I was in huge trouble. I could hear their footsteps approaching and rounding the corner but before I could think to run away Kyoya quickly grasped my wrist and pulled me into the stock cupboard in the corridor, whirling me around and covering my body with his, pinning me against the wall as my hand jumped to grip into his shirt.

"Don't make a sound." He warned me, head turned away from me to watch the door and I held my breath, listening to the sound of Kyoya's serious father as he passed, firm footfalls pounding in my head until they faded away but still Kyoya did not move, listening carefully to ensure that the adults were gone before we both exhaled simultaneously. It was dark in here and that only made me even more way of how close he was to me. His body heat, his breath, the brush of his hair against my face as he turned his head then pulled back. "You will have to be careful when leaving. If my father sees you then he shall immediately report to your father that you are here and I shall not do anything to help you." Brushing himself off Kyoya neatened himself once more but as he turned I reached out and took his sleeve, giving a gentle tug.

He was risking the wrath of his father for me, I had to thank him in some way. If I'm caught then I shall insist that Kyoya knew nothing of me being here so that he does not also get into trouble. As Kyoya looked back towards me I dropped my grasp to his hand to lift it up towards my face. His hands were so much larger than mine, soft and warm to the touch as I turned my face into his palm and kissed him, wanting to convey my feelings across to him. I sensed him stiffen as his hand suddenly went tense in my grasp but I ignored it, holding on for a moment longer before I let go and bowed my head low to him, holding my violin case tightly against me before I shifted it in my grasp and flashed him a smile though I wasn't certain he could see it in the dark.

I left the cupboard first, peaking out to make sure the coast was clear before pulling the cap low over my head and I head off, heart thundering in my chest as I flushed brightly. What had I done? I had acted completely without thinking! That was far too forward of me, I should have thought about it before I had done it. Gracious me, I am a silly and fickle thing. I was becoming more and more enraptured with Kyoya with each passing moment I spent in his presence. Even at the Host Club I could not bear to look him in the eye because it would become painfully tight in my chest.

At school the next day I kept my head bowed low, not looking at anyone as I walked so that I did not accidentally look Kyoya in the eye. With my head bowed I wasn't looking where I was going so when I bumped into someone's back I instantly jolted upright and stepped backwards, bowing in apology however when I heard a dry voice I felt my entire body go numb. "Oh it's the mute. You have some nerve you dumb brat, you could at least watch where you're going." Ayanokoji glowered down at me so I kept my head bowed as not to make eye contact. "Look me in the eye when I speak to you, mute!" But I couldn't, I couldn't even move I was trembling so much.

"Look at her, she's shaking like a leaf. The four-eyes doesn't seem to have a backbone either." Another one of the girls noted as the guy snorted.

"What an unattractive piece of trash, they really let second grade people into this school? Maybe I should transfer so I'm not anywhere near the _vermin_." Their words hurt and I started to cry, my knees shaking so badly I thought they were going to collapse. Why did they have to be so mean? What did I ever do to them? It was probably because I was so weak they found me an easy target but still, they shouldn't treat people so unkindly. "Hey mute, you're in our way!" A sudden kick caught me off guard and I was flung to the side, slamming into the wall with such force my glasses flew off my nose and fell to the floor where Ayanokoji stepped on them, making sure to crush them as I reached out and tried to rescue them but I couldn't see anything for the tears and my poor vision.

"People like you should know their place." She said and with a snap of her fingers another kick landed against my shoulder, making me gasp but no audible sound came out as I was painfully pinned against the wall with enough force to make me black out momentarily. Help. Someone help me. Please, they're hurting me and I can't do anything. I'm useless, somebody please help!

"Leave our Meg-chan alone!" A familiar voice suddenly yelled fiercely and I lifted my head slightly, recognising Mitsukuni-sempai. "Takashi, let's rescue Meg-chan!" Suddenly the weight was pulled off my shoulder and I blinked blearily to see moving shadows, hearing someone fling the guy who had hurt me down to the ground and he cried out in pain as the girls both shrieked and ran away, their heels clipping against the floor as the guy groaned weakly. "Meg-chan? Meg-chan, does your shoulder hurt?"

"Mitsukuni, Megumi is bleeding." Takashi-sempai noted and I felt a hand curl around my head where I felt particular pain and a wet warmth. Was that blood? "She needs the nurse's attention."

"Right, let's go Taka-chan!" Mitsukuni declared and I think he picked up my bag as I felt Takashi-sempai lift me up and carry me away as I remained unresponsive, drifting in and out of unconsciousness until finally I came back around again. I was lying in a bed with my shoulder and head bandaged and treated for their injuries, making me wince in pain before I slowly began to get up.

"Slowly, you should not push yourself." Takashi said to me and I blinked, realising that he and Mitsukuni were still with me. "We apologise for not arriving sooner."

"Those girls were being so mean Meg-chan, but don't worry we told the headmaster and they'll be sent to their rooms with no cake for pudding!" Mitsukuni said to me and suddenly I was crying, finding his bright smile all too much. They had even found my spare glasses for me and placed them on my face, they were too nice to me. "Huh? Meg-chan? Does it still hurt?" Weakly I nodded my head so Mitsukuni had me cuddle Usa-chan. It smelled of lavender and I found it extremely comforting so I hugged it against me, sighing softly as I slowly began to relax. Now a little recovered I bowed my head to them both, thanking them for coming to help me. "You're welcome Meg-chan, we were glad to rescue the princess!"

"MEGUMI-CHAAAAAAN!" Tamaki's unmistakable voice thundered as the doors crashed open and he came running inside all the way to my bedside where he flung out his arms. "Megumi-chan I was so worried! Let daddy give you a hug it'll make you feel better." He embraced me securely on my uninjured side, nuzzling into my cheeks as Haruhi and the twins also wandered in.

"Jeez you're so noisy boss, Megumi-chan could have been sleeping you know." They chorused together before looking at me. Haruhi looked a little alarmed so I smiled to her in reassurance.

"Those monsters, how could they do this to our precious, sweet and innocent little girl?" Tamaki lamented, throwing an arm over his face in despair. "I shall not rest until one of the culprits are captured and pay for this affront!" Kaoru tapped Tamaki on his shoulder then pointed to the bed across me to show the guy who had beat me up was heavily bandaged and knocked clean unconscious. Looks like the guys hadn't held back.

"I think that one has already got what he deserves." Kaoru noted as Hikaru nodded.

"Yeah, besides the other two were girls right? You're not going to go beat _them_ up are you?"

"Of course not! I'm going to sit them down and give them the scolding of a lifetime!" Tamaki answered with a blazing intent so I reached out and touched his hand, making him stop and look to me as I gave him a shake of my head and sat up again, reassuring everyone that I was alright before touching my head. The bandage wrapped around my head entirely with a pad at the back and it was tentative to touch so I assumed I had simply split the skin and it bled a little. There can't have been much.

"Is there anything you need Megumi-chan? I'd be happy to get you something if you want it." Haruhi offered sweetly but I shook my head. They were all here, that was all I needed. Even if we weren't _real_ friends and they were just being nice to me because that was how they were, I still appreciated it. "You should at least rest for the rest of the day, you need to recover before you think about getting up and walking around again." Haruhi said fussily and even neatened my bed sheets over me, making sure I was tucked in comfortably. "I'll come back after school and make sure you're okay, I can even walk you home if you want?" So…cute! Haruhi was just the cutest thing! I feel like my heart is about to burst!

"Now what is all the fuss about Tamaki? You made no sense on the phone whatsoever." Instantly I froze in place, hearing Kyoya's voice before he appeared at the end of the medical bed and he looked at me in surprise. "My, my, you look like you've been in the wars." He noted to me and I blushed, looking away. "What on earth happened?"

"There were some really mean girls and that guy over there who started harassing our poor and innocent Megumi-chan and they started kicking her around like it was nothing and if it hadn't been for Honey-sempai and Mori-sempai then our dear little girl might have perished from her wounds!" Tamaki blurted all at once as Kyoya fixed his glasses.

"Oh? How unfortunate." He said nothing more and I fought the urge to roll my eyes. He could be so cold sometimes. "Well, seeing as you are upright and awake I see no reason to be concerned. I'll be on my way." With that he left and I almost reached out after him, wanting him to come close so I could hide away against him somehow but I kept my hand still, fighting to keep my smile on my face as I turned to the others and shifted, making to get up but Haruhi wrestled me back down and forced me to stay, threatening to send me home right now if I didn't comply so I resigned to my rest.

Towards the end of the day I felt better so I returned to classes, assuring everyone I was alright with smiles and nods of my head until they left it alone. No one else made a comment, however as I left school I sensed the ominous glares from somewhere nearby so I looked around, catching sight of Ayanokoji and her friend but before they could even make a move, an arm dropped around me and ended up pulling me along with them. "Just ignore them. They won't hurt you again." Kyoya said and I stared at him, almost losing my footing however I stayed upright and continued along with him as his arm remained draped over my shoulders, bag in hand.

I could immediately sense people looking and whispering but Kyoya didn't seem to care one bit, leading me over to my car which he opened for me with a pleasant smile. "Try to be more careful from now on, your father won't appreciate returning to find you beaten and bruised, he might assume it was the Ootori family." He spoke firmly but I sensed that this wasn't the real reason why he was here now so I peered a little closer at him, narrowing my eyes as I inspected his face closely. "What are you doing?" He asked me whilst continuing his forced smile. "Just get in the car." Still not convinced he was this mean on purpose I reached out and smacked my hands to his cheeks, gripping them tightly and pulling to try and get a different reaction however he just remained very still.

A little disappointed I let go of his face which was now red and puffy to duck my head into my car, sensing him twitching in fury behind me before he closed the door shut. He was acting weird, he always tried to be cool and serious with a mean edge, but that didn't feel like the real him at all. It's as if he was afraid to show his gentle side because he did not want to be judged for it. At this realisation I smiled. Kyoya Ootori. One day, I want to see your real smile.


	14. Chapter 14

My father was returning home today and it was also the night of the supposed secret formal event where he would announce my engagement to Kyoya. I had no idea how he felt about the situation, possible a simply sense of obligation to do his father's will. Ensuring that I looked presentable in a plain black frock that my father would approve of I stood before the door a few paces back, listening and waiting for him to return. It was early afternoon when he did so and when the door slid open, I immediately bowed to welcome him home.

"Ah, there you are Megumi. Good girl. You will have to prepare yourself for a formal occasion, I have joyous news to share with you." He informed me a little wearily however did not proceed to tell me anything. This made me a little angry, had he intended all along to keep me in the dark until the moment of the announcement? Did he have no respect for me at all?

"Cousin!" Instantly my spirits faltered as Hideki waltzed into my home in one of his extremely rare moments of being sober. "It's been too long, I tried visiting but you were always out. Quite the social butterfly you've turned into my little moth like cousin." He grinned as he pinched my cheeks too hard and left a mark but I did not react, simply gave him a disapproving look before averting my eyes. "Well I see your voice hasn't improved at all. How boring." Sighing in boredom my cousin went and helped himself to the liquor, drinking quickly to get himself into a more upbeat mood as my father went into his office and shut himself away.

"Young mistress, the master informs me that we will be descending at six, you do not have much time to prepare." My maid informed me and I glanced to the clock. We had three hours yet. "Please, allow us to assist you." Without much choice I allowed them to help bathe me and wash my hair, drying it carefully and combing it through before they went to select one of my father's dresses however I held up a hand, deciding that for once I would choose my own clothes. They had already applied some makeup and styled my hair into an elegant twist so I browsed through my new clothes before selecting something that I would feel comfortable in.

They waited patiently to see if I would need assistance and I heard my father go down at least an hour ago for the preparations with my cousin so I pulled down a peach chiffon dress with a light bolero and satin sash, pretty and perfectly suitable for a girl my age whilst also being modest, pretty and comfortable. "An excellent choice young mistress!" The maids agreed with my choice, assuring me that I would fit in perfectly with the other ladies downstairs so I stepped into the gown, chose a pair of cream shoes and allowed them to apply a little more makeup to suit the colouring of the dress before then helping me to select jewellery.

I did not like wearing earrings much, so I went for simple studs and a necklace which my father had given me a few years ago, the simple gold chain holding the crest of our house. It seemed appropriate and after a final look in the mirror, I was surprised by my appearance. Perhaps I should wear contacts tonight, father will want me to look my best after all but it felt so strange to be without them. Feeling brave I drew out my contacts and put them in, blinking to make them settle before looking at my reflection. I did not look like myself, I looked much older and rather mature but still young at the same time. My mother did have excellent taste after all.

With the skirt swishing around my knees I bowed in thanks to my maids who bowed back and began to clean up the room as I hurried to the elevator and went down with a porter who was awaiting me. "Gosh miss, you look very lovely." He said to me so I gave him a smile before turning my eyes forwards. The formal will be held in the grand theatre, the tables set up with the best crystal and floral arrangements with a huge banquet of a buffet that the chef would have worked on for several days.

Sure enough as the doors opened I looked out upon the splendour and immediately felt intimidated, trembling slightly before I forced myself to step forwards and walk inside. The lights were sparkling and the ambiance was musical, soft and ebbing with different vocal sounds which caught my attention periodically as I descended the stairs, ignoring anyone who turned to look at me. It was still early so very few guests had arrived so I took my place beside my father after bowing to him. He had looked shocked to see me dressed in such a manner, however if he was outraged he did not tell me so here in public.

Dutifully I bowed before our guests as they entered, my father greeting them whilst my cousin stuffed his face with as much booze and food as he was able. So disgusting, why do we even have such a pig in our family? We must have offended someone in our past lives. "Ah! Yoshio my friend, good to see you." The name immediately caused me to lift my head slightly, looking to count how many pairs of feet were present. Too many, was the answer. Yoshio had brought his wife, his three sons, another woman and a man was with her. I assumed that this was the daughter of the Ootori family Fuyumi along with her husband, whose surname was Shido.

"Good to see you too, friend. My, is this the same child I met before? Your daughter has blossomed most brilliantly." Yoshio said before he then turned his full attention upon me. "Lift your head, child." I did so and looked him straight in the eye without hesitation, feeling strangely bold. It must be because I am wearing mother's dress, I wish I could show her how I look today as I think she would like it. Yoshio levelled his gaze and observed me for a few moments, humming in thought before nodding his head in approval. "Yes, she will do nicely." He said before walking away, his sons each bowing to my father so I lowered my head again as each passed, however Kyoya stopped before me.

"Mr Akiyama, it would be a pleasure if your daughter would accompany me for a while. I am afraid I am not very good at interacting with people I do not already have an existing relationship with so her company would be greatly appreciated." Kyoya spoke and instantly I was standing up straight, looking up to my father who chuckled warmly.

"But of course, dear boy. Go on now Megumi. Remember to mind your tongue and be polite, this is an important occasion." He reminded me so I bowed gratefully before I reached out and took the arm that Kyoya was offering me, leading me away from my father where I exhaled and visibly relaxed.

"Feel better?" He asked and I nodded my head, giving his arm a squeeze to convey my thanks. "You are welcome. With all the times you bowed your head it is no wonder you will start to cause serious problems for your neck later on." He mused almost to himself as we simply wandered around the room, stopping whenever someone spoke to us. "Ah, Mr Kamizawa, how wonderful to see you. Ma'am, you do look exquisite as always." I do not know what Kyoya meant by what he said to my father, he was a natural at speaking to people. He must have simply given it as an excuse to take me away for a while.

"Well dear, how do you like this little gathering, hm?" The woman suddenly asked me and I balked, panicking as my throat seized up and as I tried to find the words I floundered, struggling to think until Kyoya's hand suddenly appeared over mine and it was like a soothing sensation flew all the way through my body.

"My apologies, but Miss Akiyama is not well and has lost her voice this evening but I am certain she is enjoying herself, correct?" He asked and I nodded my head immediately, smiling up at the woman who cooed at me sweetly before patting my cheek and sending us on our way. I heard several comments about my dress, the ladies saying that it perfectly suited a girl my age and I glowed with pride. After we left Kyoya removed his hand from mine and I immediately missed it, wanting it back but I made not a sound as we made our way to the food table and helped ourselves to some servings before taking a seat.

Kyoya did not speak to me further and I had a sneaking suspicion that he had chosen to walk with me as he knew I would not speak to him and force him into a conversation. However, he did keep his body angled towards me, occasionally leaning in to make it looks as if we were talking to appease the adults and I followed his example, occasionally offering him something or touching his shoulder to point something or someone out to him. It was peaceful and I enjoyed his company all to myself until my cousin had to come along and ruin it all.

"Cousin!" Stumbling into the table my cousin swayed drunkenly so I immediately rose to my feet to steady him, not wanting him to make a fool of himself although several eyes were already turning. "Cousin, you look super weird in that outfit…where's your usual funeral trash?" He asked and before he could take another swig of his drink I stuffed a sushi ball into his mouth, making him jolt and start to chew. Anything to keep him drinking. Snapping my fingers I summoned his caretakers, the two burly men stepping seemingly from the shadows. "Come now cousin, don't be like that it's a party!" He slurred as they tried to remove him quietly. "Drink something…you'll feel better…get off me!"

My cousin lashed out with his foot and knocked the table violently and I lunged to catch the flowers before the water could spill however Hideki then wailed, struggling against his bodyguards and with his hand fumbling he found a crystal glass and flung it wildly. I had to lunge to catch that too, stopping it when it was bare inches away from Kyoya's face and I exhaled with relief before a hand was clamped down over my cousin's mouth and he was sent to sleep with a tight grip, his guards whisking him away as I neatened the table once more, smoothing out the cloth and arranging the flowers before I then clapped my hands and a member of staff came forwards and brushed up the spilled food on the floor which my brother had toppled. Such a waste.

All the while I did not notice the people watching me calmly deal with a situation, the maid bowing as she left and I touched a hand to my head. My cousin was such an idiot. "Are you alright?" Kyoya asked me as he came to my side and placed his hand on my shoulder. I would be if my cousin would just go away and not come back. Still, I have to put on appearances so I smiled and nodded my head, drawing him back to his seat so that he could continue to eat however to save me going to get more food he pulled my chair closer to him and caught my face in one hand, smirking almost mischievously as he then opened my mouth with his thumb and placed some food inside.

Around us the women all cooed and awed at the false display of affection but I could not help but feel that it was real, even though I knew it was his charade to pacify his father. We spent a few hours together, just Kyoya and I though his sister came and introduced herself and stole me away from the time, chattering nonstop about girly things that had me in a little bit of a spin until my father called everyone's attention, making Fuyumi squeak. "Oh no! I have to get you back to Kyoya, how silly of me." She giggled and quickly moved me through the crowds as my father stood upon the staircase with the Ootori family present at the bottom as if on display. It was all a charade. Everything. Nothing here was real, it all seemed so fake.

"Good evening, honoured guests. You have my thanks for coming to this humble gathering among friends, I have delightful news that I have been greatly anticipating in sharing with you all." He began just as Fuyumi got me to Kyoya's side and I bit down on my tongue, feeling nervous and began to tremble as I looked up to my father's side. All eyes were turned upon him as he spoke, prattling on a little however Kyoya seemed to sense me shaking and looked down to my hand which was clenched tightly at my side.

Without a word he curled his fingers around my wrist and startled me slightly, not expecting him to touch me however in the next moment he was pressing a kiss to the palm of my hand whilst no one was looking, making my eyes widen as he showered me with strength and comfort in that one tiny movement. My heart burst in my chest and I felt too shocked to feel afraid anymore, unable to tear my eyes away from him. A single heartbeat later he let go of my hand and turned away as if nothing had even happened whilst I remained completely in a stupor. It was only when I heard a thunderous applause did I realise that my father had thrown his hand down towards us.

"I gladly announce the engagement of my daughter to the third son of the Ootori family, Kyoya Ootori." He proclaimed and suddenly I felt very cold. Everyone was staring, gathering closer and offering their congratulations. No. This wasn't real. It was all fake. I _know_ that this is just a charade for something, I just don't know what it is yet. Shivering under the weight of everyone's gazes Kyoya moved away from me and I felt even colder than before and he disappeared from sight, melting into the crowds as he accepted their praises and congratulations so I took this as my opportunity to escape for a little while.

Needing fresh air I went out onto the balcony and instantly grabbed onto the side, hunching down and gasping for breath as I continued to shake. What is the matter with me? Why do I feel so happy and so miserable at the same time? I wish mother were here, she would know exactly what to say. In fact she would have probably smacked my father about the head and told him to not be so stupid as to enter an arranged marriage without first consulting with me. It was too soon to escape to my room so I dragged myself to my feet though my knees were weak and walked back into the swarm.

Drifting like wood on the ocean I bowed my head time and time again in thanks as I stood by my father's side as he accepted congratulations and gifts on my behalf, keeping me firmly placed behind him so that I could be observed and not considered. I was just an item. A doll to be kept in perfect condition, but what happens when I lose my youth? What will he do with me then when I am no longer desirable due to aging? Will I truly be married and settled? I suppose with me being married I was someone else's concern and not his.

"Miss Akiyama?" I lifted my head and was surprised to see the eldest of the Ootori boys standing there. "I look forward to having you in our family, I hope that you will find every comfort you need." He said graciously with an unexpectedly warm smile before he took my hand and kissed it gently. His hands were different to Kyoya's, a little too hot and too lax around mine as if he were afraid I would break should he hold on too tight. I bowed in response, the answer simply conditioned in me now. I no longer even tried to speak, as whenever someone asked me a question my father would wave his hand and tell them not to mind me. I felt ignored and used, nothing more than a tool in a bigger arrangement.

Once the last gift had been accepted I turned and walked as quickly as I were able, disappearing as the tears now fell freely as I had been holding them back the entire night. I wasn't happy anymore, now I was just miserable. Even if I did like Kyoya enough to be content married to him, I knew that the feelings were not reciprocated and what was the point in that? Loveless marriages turned bitter very quickly. I wish I had worn an ugly dress, I wish I had not put on makeup then people would have looked down me with sympathy instead for the scrawny creature I was then I wouldn't have to pretend that I was grateful for their smiles and blessings for my happy news.

The maids quickly opened the door for me as I dashed through, nodding to one another to agree to give my excuses to my father should he ask. Not that he would. He did not care. Rushing into the elevator I pressed the button for the penthouse and keyed in the code, leaning dependently on the wall for support as I cried silent tears. "Akiyama!" Kyoya's voice surprised me and I looked up in time to see him moving towards the elevator but he stopped when he saw my expression and the tears that slipped through my fingers. That was the last glimpse of me he received before the doors slid shut and I was carried upwards, away from everyone and everything as I slumped to the floor and sobbed.


	15. Chapter 15

The first chance I received I ran straight to my mother. I barely even remembered to pick up an instrument for her, running all the way to the bus stop and again after I got off. I did not even care for disguises this time, I wore exactly what I wanted as I avoided the desk and went directly to my mother's room. She was sitting upright having her breakfast when I burst in, surprised to see me in such a state as I ran to her and gripped onto her as tightly as I could. "Princess! What's the matter darling? What has you in such a state? There now it's alright." She soothed, waving away the nurses who bowed and left us alone. "Calm down Megumi, tears will not help you or anyone else. Take deep breaths and calmly explain what happened." She requested so I did my best, breathing in deeply before exhaling and gathering my thoughts to myself.

Mother stroked my hair as she gazed at me with utter love and I paused, wondering if it was right to worry her with her condition. Stress would only make it worse for her so with a brave face I smiled and shook my head, simply touching my heart before then embracing her. "Did you miss me that much? My silly princess, don't mind what your father says. You come and see me whenever you wish, I give you full permission and I shall have words with him when I get my hands on him." She vowed and I giggled, feeling a little happier.

Pushing myself up I took up the chopsticks that were left beside her food and fed her myself, carefully making sure not to drop anything as she continued to stroke my hair, the two of us doing nothing but spending time with one another and as I laid back in her arms I played the ocarina, listening to the sound of her heartbeat and I played to its rhythm, using it as my anchor before I then realised it was noon. Deciding that I would spend all day with my mother I insisted on helping her to eat each meal, fetching whatever she needed and helping the nurses tend to her. I even brushed and braided her hair so that she looked more like herself again.

"You are such a good girl, Megumi. You should try to break free of your anxieties and speak out. I would _love_ to hear your voice again." She said to me sleepily as the drugs began to send her off in painless comfort, my hand wrapped around hers as I stroked her hair. "I miss hearing your voice…what has that idiot husband of mine done to you…?" I smiled before kissing her face, watching her smile deepen as she finally fell into a deep slumber.

It was growing dark now so I made sure to close the window so that it would not be cold for her then took the seat next to her bed, wanting to be with her when she woke up in the morning. Right now we were on break so school was not a problem and I wanted to surprise her. Eventually I fell asleep with my hand in hers, my glasses slipping down my face however in the night someone came and straightened them for me as they then shook me awake. Yawning sleepily I rubbed my eyes, pushing my glasses up before I blinked and looked to see who it was.

Of course it was Kyoya. "I do not know if you are ignorant or simply stupid. Spending the entire day here was risky enough but I shall not have you sleeping in a chair where you are likely to be found by someone." He announced and suddenly I was lurching forwards by the hand which he had grabbed and pulled. For a moment I was too dazed to understand what was happening however when my senses caught up with me I began to struggle and tried to pry his hand off me but his grip was too strong.

Without warning he suddenly dragged me into an empty room and he darted behind the door to hide with me wrapped up in his arms just as his brother's voice sounded around the corner. "Ensure that the patient gets plenty of rest, they will be better after the medication kicks in." He said and I held my breath, stiffening. "I'm going to check on Akiyama-sama, please complete your rounds." Kyoya had rescued me again, he knew his brother had been coming. The footsteps continued, pausing at the door and Kyoya instantly covered my mouth with his hand to keep me from gasping as the door opened slightly.

Light spilled in whilst we remained in the shadows, Yuuichi glancing inside before closing the door once more and walking away. Only when he was gone did Kyoya let me go and I slumped slightly, gripping my chest where my pulse went crazily out of control. "You are a nuisance." Kyoya muttered darkly as he cleaned his glasses. "Now that you're my fiancée, perhaps you should listen to my better judgement." His arrogant tone made me irritated as I dusted myself off and placed a hand on my hip, the other jutting out to point at him before wagging it, signifying a no. I was not going to simply roll over and obey anymore, I have my own mind and once I find my voice again I shall speak it. "Oh? I can force you, you know." I frowned in confusion until all at once Kyoya had pinned me against the wall with my hands trapped, eyes glinting dangerously. "You've allowed yourself to be alone with a man in an empty room where no one will you cry out for help, not that you could." That darkness in his eyes was terrifying, petrifying me to the core as he did not stop leaning closer. "If you can't shout, how will anyone ever no you were in trouble? How will you tell them you were even hurt?"

Suddenly his grip slackened and he pulled back, folding his arms as he looked down at me and I shuddered, falling to my knees as I felt my entire body give out. "Unless you learn to speak your mind you'll be stuck doing the will of everyone else for the rest of your life. I don't need a wife who can do nothing more than bow her head and obey. It is quite boring." He announced, beginning to walk away and I clenched my fingers into a fist as I sat sprawled on the floor. That was a side of him I never expected to see, a side I did not even know existed. Was he trying to tell me to toughen up? That I shouldn't be so whimsical and do something about my situation?

It was hard to tell, I could barely think. He left me alone in that room until I had gathered my senses and I also picked myself up, doing my best to dust myself off and wipe away the stray tears that fell before leaving. I took care in my escape, however as I passed one of the offices I heard the Ootori brothers inside, the door having not clicked shut properly so I quickly looked around then pressed my back to the wall, listening carefully.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this Kyoya? This will probably break the girl's heart." Yuuichi said and I had to strain my ears to listen.

"It's not as if I have a say in the matter but frankly I don't care. If she has formed any attachments then it's her own fault and not mine." They were speaking about me, I am certain of it, but what was the context? "She's just a pawn, her father is the foolish one for so readily falling into our grasp."

"Agreed, though even for father this is very ruthless." I heard papers rustling and I was careful to listen for approaching footsteps, ready to dive around the corner at any moment as the hall remained empty. It was the night shift after all, staff was reduced drastically as not as many patients required attention. "All this nonsense just to gain their trust. Still, it has to be done, he _is_ beginning to overtake us in the industry after all."

"It's all just a game of politics really, isn't it?" Kyoya agreed and when I heard footsteps I quickly moved, diving for cover and hid around the corner, ready to hide in the cupboard however as they left they walked the other way much to my luck, heading for the exit. "Are you certain it's safe leaving your documents in there?"

"Relax Kyoya, no one can get in without my passcode and no one but me knows it. Who's going to be interested in business documents anyway? Go home and get some rest, let me deal with the Kamizawa whilst you deal with Akiyama. Don't let that girl escape you just yet, we still need her to sign over her inheritance rights after all and then there's that cousin…" The voices trailed off as they got too far to hear though I had did my best to listen. It was enough, it only confirmed my suspicions. They _were_ up to something and I will not stand for it.

Walking forwards I looked at the office door before pulling out my phone and a cable, determination wrought on my features. There were no cameras in this corridor, I had already infiltrated the security system to see where the blind spots where. There was one on the inside however I could access it via my phone with the update I had recently added. With my code breaker programme I easily broke into the office and disabled the camera for a reset, allowing me no more than sixty seconds so I got to work. Switching on the light I rustled through the draws and quickly found the papers, glancing over them before stashing them into my bag. I can look over them later, right now I need to leave before I'm caught on camera.

All the way home I felt like a thief, clutching my bag tightly however I did not allow myself to feel safe until I was locked up inside the hotel and the door was secure. Exhaling, I quickly rushed into my room and booted up the computers, screens flashing as they switched on and I hurriedly pulled out the papers. They happened to be a written contract between the Ootori clan and the Kamizawa family. The name rang a bell and I recalled vaguely Kyoya talking to someone from that family so I did a background check and found that they were also in the same industry as my family and the Ootori clan.

This wasn't enough to prove that there was something going on behind the lines but I was more convinced than ever so I made photocopies of the contract and continued to analyse it, knowing that I would somehow have to get it back into that room without arousing suspicion. Perhaps I'll have a little fun with Kyoya, let him know that someone was now playing his game. Shaking my head I pushed it out of my mind, focusing on my search to find more correspondence between the two families. I have to say, it's a good thing I can hack my way into any system otherwise this would be much more difficult.

I found a little more evidence and slowly, I began to understand what the game plan was. They intended to secure my part of the inheritance, thinking that it would be part of the company's assets however when they find out that I have nothing of the sort, they're going to be very upset and simply buy out my father who beginning to climb the heights. I have to protect him, I have to protect the company. There still wasn't enough to prove that there was foul play happening behind my father's back, however there was enough to try and avoid the disaster altogether. I need to think this through carefully and meticulously.

I'll need a cup of tea.


	16. Chapter 16

I don't know how but somehow I managed to get the contract back into the Ootori office without anyone even realising it was missing, walking away proudly with my head held high. It was a miracle no one had noticed I was even visiting the hospital, not even my father who usually stayed home. He never once went to visit my mother and I found it utterly confusing. There was no one he loved more in this world than my mother.

Just as the thought occurred, I walked around the corner and almost bumped straight into Yoshio. Oh no, I'm in huge trouble. His gaze darkened instantly and I gulped, standing up straight like a plank of wood as the conversation ended. "Miss Akiyama, what brings you here?" He questioned solemnly and I struggled to think of a way to answer until I spotted Kyoya talking to a member of staff so I pointed to him with an innocent smile. Yoshio blinked then looked, relaxing a little. "Oh I see, you're here for Kyoya?" Upon hearing his name Kyoya looked up and immediately caught my gaze. Not wanting to give the game away I smiled and waved to him sweetly, pretending to be a simpleton for the sake of Yoshio observing us.

"Oh that's right, I completely forgot the time. We arranged to go out today, didn't we Megumi?" He said and I paused when he said my name but quickly caught on as he walked forwards, fixing his glasses whilst I nodded enthusiastically. "My apologies father, a momentary lapse on my part, I asked my fiancée to wait for me but it seems I'm running late." He explained before reaching out and placing his arm around me. "If you wait downstairs I shall join you momentarily." He said to me however his father then waved his hand.

"No need, you may leave for today Kyoya. Ensure that you treat this lady well and give her anything she wants, I shall cover the costs and you may take the family car so that you do not have to trouble yourselves with transport." He assured his son and Kyoya tightened his grip on my arm at his irritation before he bowed to his father so I did the same, letting him lead me away.

"You never give up, do you?" He demanded the moment we were out of earshot, letting me go and striding ahead. "Now I am forced to waste my day with you just to keep up pretences." Taking a deep calmly breath Kyoya sighed then turned around, painting a smile on his face and stretched his hand. "Very well, where should you like to go Akiyama-chan?" He asked me however I knocked his hand aside proudly as I passed him, knowing that he was right. Now we _had_ to spend the day together otherwise his father would get suspicious.

I walked out of the hospital and to the car that bore the Ootori family crest, opening the door myself and stepping inside as Kyoya followed after me. "So, where shall we go?" He asked before his face fell in boredom slightly. "Amusement park, the arcade, the ocean park, the zoo…" I arched an eyebrow at his suggestions before pulling out a few brochures from my bag and flicked through them, selecting a few before I presented them to him. "Hm? You want to go to these places." I lifted a finger and held it out to him. "Just one, alright then." He glanced through them before quickly becoming intrigued, seeing that I was interested in museums and botanical gardens. "In that case, this one looks good." Seeing that he had picked up the natural history museum I momentarily brightened and clapped my hands, happy with the choice before I checked myself and returned to being stoic.

Kyoya handed the brochure to the driver who immediately drove to the address, neither of us speaking to one another and looking out of opposite windows. I did not trust him, not one bit and I shall keep my guard up for every moment I could. How long does a usual date last? Wait…this was my very first date! Suddenly I was blushing so I hid my face in order to keep the redness unobserved. I had intended to be resolute all day, however the moment I stepped into the museum my eyes widened with a bright gleam at everything around us. "Interesting, it seems we can follow this route that will take us through the exhibits from start to finish through time. Each floor is then divided up into-!" Not listening to Kyoya I grabbed his hand and dragged him towards the first exhibit, marvelling at the rocks and geodes whilst taking notes on them. Every moment was a study opportunity.

With me leading the way Kyoya simply followed behind, taking his time as we looked at all the animals they had stuffed and I felt a little sad to see some of the endangered ones, but most were fake and purely for display purposes so it wasn't all bad. I loved the fossils and got particularly interested in the dinosaurs, grinning as I lifted my gaze and turned around to take everything in. "Careful." Kyoya warned and placed his hands on my shoulders before I bumped into someone, drawing me back to him. "It's rather crowded here so stay close. I don't want to lose you but if you do get lost, just go back to the front of the museum and stand by the statue." He instructed me and I frowned. What was I, a child? I could quite easily make my way around the museum on my own and head back to the car without him needing to hold my hand.

Shaking my head I ignored him pointedly, studying the exhibits carefully as we walked through, taking our time and becoming engrossed of our own accord. I gradually saw Kyoya relax, observing the artefacts and objects of history with interest however when we got to the science and technology section, both of us fell into our element. Eventually Kyoya started to talk about everything, explaining it to me as if I didn't understand it so I humoured him and nodded where appropriate, finding it funny how he knew I was clever but assumed it was purely academic and that computing was not my forte. I have a few surprises in store for him.

We even smiled at each other at one point before I blushed and looked away, feeling like a traitor to myself, but then Kyoya did the sweetest thing. "Here, take my hand. There are a lot of people here and you must be feeling claustrophobic." His warm hand lifted mine and I looked to our linked hands as he led me through the crowds, never letting me stray from his side and my heart fluttered at his consideration. Which was the real Kyoya? He was making it almost impossible to dislike him with the way he was acting now with such tenderness. "Are you hungry? It's already past noon even though it feels like barely any time has passed at all."

Together we sat down for a meal which I insisted on paying for, being stubborn in my own right as Kyoya brought out his own wallet. I placed my hand over his and shook my head sternly, giving him a firm look before I placed the money on the table which the waitress took with a bow. "Why thank you, it's nice to be treated to a meal every now and then. That's very kind of you." Kyoya smiled to me, giving me that only partially real expression which made me feel a little sad inside. Did he really feel so empty? The smile never really reached his eyes.

Pulling my bag over my shoulder I opened up his map of the museum and tapped the next part I wanted to go to, posing it as a suggestion with my expression however he was more than happy to go. The moment he stood up his hand laced through mine almost naturally, making me blink as I looked down to it but made no reaction, not wanting him to think that he had the upper hand and that I was more than capable of holding his hand without being fickle about it. We spent another hour or two in the museum before we had seen everything, however instead of going home Kyoya expressed interest in going to one of the gardens so I agreed to go with him.

There was no harm in it, right? This time Kyoya sat next to me in the car as we drove though I sat as close to the door as possible, tall and erect due to the tense nerves that had me on edge. The gardens helped to relax me and I pointed to the large golden gate with a smile, quickly taking off my glasses to clean them however before I could rub them clean Kyoya had taken them gently from my hands and cleaned them himself with considerate care, inspecting them closely before then replacing them on my nose. My jaw dropped slightly, once again catching me off guard so I steeled my nerves and reached out for his glasses.

This time he was the one to be surprised as I returned the favour and cleaned his glasses, smiling as I placed them back on the bridge of his nose before pushing them further up so that they were comfortable for him. Grinning brightly I then hurried into the garden, wanting to see all the flowers and the pretty fountains they had. Kyoya followed after casually, hands in his pockets as I took my time, walking around the serene and calm gardens, thinking how much my mother had loved this place because of all the flowers.

Memories blurred into focus as I thought back to when my parents used to bring me here for picnics on my birthday. That had been such a long time ago. "It's quite pleasant here." Kyoya mused, appearing at my side as we walked together. "Perhaps I should suggest it as a theme for the Host Club, Tamaki would be most interested, I should think." I nodded my head in agreement, already imagining Tamaki wearing a flower bouquet throwing petals everywhere quite happily. It would be just like him. "It's getting on in the afternoon. Let's have tea." Kyoya suggested though there did not appear to be much room for argument. "There's a teahouse over there, or would you prefer to eat elsewhere?" The teahouse was fine by me so I tugged on his sleeve and made him follow, allowing him to request a table for two where we chose a relaxing peppermint tea and a snack. I went for a savoury tart similar to Kyoya who noted my choice. "You really are not too fond of sweets, are you?" He asked and I shook my head. "Interesting, is there a particular reason for this?" I shook my head in answer, happily content to drink my tea and smell the flowers on the air.

We sat in comfortable silence and for a long while I forgot all about the fact that his family was attempting to tear mine down, finding his company rather relaxing. Once we finished he insisted on paying this time around, placing his hand on my shoulder. "Since you bought me a meal last time, it is only fair I pay this time. Is this agreeable to you?" I nodded my head, not seeing how I could argue and it would be ungracious of me to push the issue though I was not too fond of things simply being bought and paid for on my behalf.

Taking another turn around the gardens Kyoya and I found a comfortable bench to sit down on where I watched the clouds roll by. I lost track of time completely, however when I glanced across to Kyoya I did a double take. He'd fallen asleep! Right in the middle of the gardens he'd just dropped off to sleep like it was nothing, arms spread out across the back of the bench and leaning against them as he slumped. Should I let him sleep for a while? He seems so peaceful but I do not want him to get cold.

Glancing around I slid out of my jacket and placed it over his lap just to be certain, reaching out to remove his glasses and brush aside his hair. He had such nice hair, he was almost too perfect. With a soft smile I could not help but think how sweet and adorable he looked whilst sleeping, almost innocent. Folding the arms of his glasses I tucked them into my lap to ensure they did not get damaged and sat still as his head slumped further, falling against my shoulder so I did not disturb him. He slept for at least an hour, the sky remaining bright and clear whilst he did so. By the time he woke up it was close to half past five.

Shifting against me I looked to Kyoya who sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes before he looked up. He seemed to see me clearly because our eyes immediately met, my eyes must be much worse than his. "Was I asleep long?" Shaking my head I gave him a soft expression before lifting his glasses, offering them back to him and he placed them back on his nose. "Well, I think we have used up enough time to have shaken off my father's suspicions, shall I take you home?" He offered and I glanced around, taking one last look at the gardens before nodding.

Making to stand up Kyoya stopped when he realised that my jacket was laid over his legs, picking it up thoughtfully before he smiled quietly and held it out for me, allowing me to slide my arms back into the sleeves. Before I could walk ahead Kyoya took me by the hand and drew me close to him, slipping his fingers through mine and I felt my heart give a jolt like sparks of electricity had hit it so I shook it off and continued walking. "I will admit, I rather enjoyed myself today. You have excellent tastes, Akiyama-chan." Somehow it felt strange to hear him address me like that. I wanted him to call me Megumi again. It actually made me rather happy when he called me by my first name. "Is there anything you would like before we go? A souvenir?" He asked but I shook my head. I didn't want anything.

So with our hands still entwined Kyoya walked me back to the car where he ordered the driver to take me back home, however even as we sat down he didn't let go, sitting right next to me and his thumb was even brushing over mine. Was this him being affectionate or was it still that huge charade to get me to lower my guard? It seems I will never know with him no matter how hard I try. The drove home went uncommonly quickly because of good traffic so soon enough I was standing outside the hotel, pulling back my hair so that I could bow to Kyoya without it falling in my face. "I shall see you again soon, my bride to be." There was a hint of a tease in his voice as I straightened up, blinking at him innocently before I smiled.

Reaching out my hand I took his in a secure but gentle grasp and pulled him towards me, turning my face into his palm and kissed him there just like last time. Just as before it caught him off guard as I nuzzled into his warmth before looking up, trying to thank him for such a wonderful day through my eyes alone. The heavy noise of traffic surrounded us however I could hear the maids gasp behind me, probably surprised by my forwardness. Letting go of his hand I turned and took the first step to enter the hotel however I did not get any further as suddenly Kyoya's hands had grasped my shoulder and waist, turning me back into him where his head ducked the rather large gap between our faces and closed the distance with a rush of movement that was over in the blink of an eye.

His lips were unexpectedly where they should not have been, making me go all gooey inside as the maids gasped further and squealed, staring as Kyoya trapped me against him with a surprisingly strong grip as I felt my feet almost lifting off the ground. My bag dropped from my gasp as I stared, not even thinking to close my eyes as they were too focused on his lashes and how dark they were. I could see every detail on his face as he kissed me in front of everyone. He could probably feel the heat of my cheeks but he didn't seem to mind or care as he then pulled back, keeping me close to him as he then smirked a little smugly at me, enjoying my stupefied expression.

"Farewell, my bride to be." He said before releasing me but before I could fall my maids were supporting me, cheerfully waving goodbye whilst my head rolled unhelpfully, seeing stars in front of my vision as heat flared up through my entire body. Kyoya did not even look back after getting in his car and driving away, leaving the maids to practically carry me up to the suite where I drifted inside and fell onto my bed, squishing my face into my pillow before all at once I released everything in a jittery squirm, kicking my legs as I gripped my face and tried to fight off the goofy grin.

He'd kissed me, Kyoya Ootori had actually kissed _me_! Did that mean something? Was I mistaken about him all along? Oh I don't know, it could mean any number of things. At this point I liked him so much that even if he was part of a plot to destroy my father I would forgive him. How fickle and silly of me, but it was true. I liked Kyoya Ootori and I felt lucky to be his fiancée.


	17. Chapter 17

Father had arranged for a private meal between the two families and of course, I was expected to attend and this time, he actually gave me fair warning. "Now Megumi, we will be having dinner with the Ootori family and I expect you to keep up appearances. I do not know where you got that dress from the formal event, however I will not have you making a fool of yourself. All the dresses I have bought for you are practical and sufficient, so you will wear something I deem acceptable or I shall be most displeased and I will have the rest of your wardrobe _burned_." His forceful tone gave me his warning and I bowed to him. He dressed me as if I were a permanent funeral, as if mother had already died. "Your cousin will not be attending, he has disgraced himself by causing havoc in the casino so has been confined to his own apartment. In order for me to restore the reputation of our family, you will silent and not speak a single word. Understood?"

Keeping my head bowed my father did not even look at me as he then snapped his fingers and his coat and briefcase were brought to him. I saw him off dutifully before going to arrange my affairs so that I would be able go without worrying about my homework. Opening my wardrobe after ringing the bell I inspected all of the dresses carefully. I hated them all and in comparison to all my others, they were just so drab and ugly but since my father insisted, there was no way I could possibly disobey him. Or could I? I mean, so long as it's one of the _dresses_ , it doesn't matter what it actually looks like.

"You called for us mistress?" The maids questioned as they appeared at my door so I pulled down one of the simplest dresses and held it out with a pleading look. "Mistress? Do you wish for it to be altered?" One of them asked and I nodded my head with a smile, flinging it out on the bed and ran a finger down the sleeves so that they understood. "Of course young mistress, you wish for the sleeves to be shortened…the ruffles removed…and the bodice taken in…we shall have the seamstress come right away!"

So I stood for over an hour in the dress having it altered, changing it from a dreary mourning dress to something fashionable and pretty. It still had the same high collar neckline with layered ruffles as a necktie of white, the black collar crisp and smart as it turned downwards. The sleeves had been completely removed, the waist taken in and the bodice shifted so that it was not so severe and the frills of the skirt were removed so that it was it was not so…poufy. "You look wonderful young mistress!" The maids told me as the white sash was fixed around my middle and tied into a large bow at my back.

Giving them a smile I flicked out my hair then pulled half of it up, signalling what I wanted done with it so they put it up for me elegantly with a twist, pinning it in place with a beautiful hairpin. Once I was completely prepared I allowed myself to be escorted to the venue, my chauffeur already waiting for me at the front as I pulled on a pretty wrap of silk. I fiddled with my glasses as I sat in the back, wondering how my father was going to react. I knew he would be furious but I need to start taking charge of my own life and it was high time I began to decide what I wore for myself. I cannot have my father dressing me as if I were still three years old.

At the same time I was anxious, fearing his wrath greatly but I was determined to start finding my voice and it began with action. Someday, I hope to have the courage to speak my mind. Twiddling my thumbs I thought of Kyoya instead, allowing myself a distraction as I fretted over him instead. How was I going to act around him after that…that kiss? Would he try to push me further? All these thoughts flittered through my mind and took up my entire attention until we arrived at the fancy restaurant that only the wealthiest of the wealthy could afford.

With a flourish of my silk wrap I went inside, drawing out my identification and presenting it to the reception so that I could be led to the large table that held the entire Ootori family as well as my father. There were a few seats spare as Fuyumi, her husband and one of the brothers had not arrived yet however Kyoya was there and when I was announced everyone rose to their feet. After a polite bow I gave no one any notice, allowing them to take my shawl and instantly my father's eyes narrowed at my apparel as I delicately pulled the satin gloves off my hands and handed them to the porter as well before he drew back my seat.

"Please allow me." Kyoya requested, drawing the seat out for me and I took it with a slight inclination of my head as he pushed the chair beneath me. Everyone sat down and there was a polite conversation between our two fathers, however the Ootori wife tried to speak to me herself but Kyoya instantly cut across me even as I tried to answer.

"Akiyama-chan does not speak, mother. She is incredibly shy and quiet." He informed her so I closed my mouth and remembered that father had forbidden me to speak regardless. A fact that he reminded me of in that moment.

"Yes indeed. Megumi! Sit quietly and await us to order, I shall pick your meal for you." He growled and I received a sneaking suspicion that I would not be eating very much tonight. Oh well, so much for being rebellious. I wish I had just worn the stupid dress as it was, though I really did prefer this. It was way cuter and I think Mitsukuni would approve. With the adults all turning away from me I sat with my head bowed, feeling omnipotent and completely out of place. I truly was just a decoration.

I did not even think to listen in on the other conversations, drifting off into my own small world where I thought about music and about what gift I should bring my mother next. Perhaps a shawl like mine, she always liked pretty things. I would hate for her to be cold at night especially with autumn coming. I want her to be comfortable and feel like her old self again. With my head so wrapped up in itself I did not even notice Fuyumi when she arrived and greeting me politely, however just as I began to rise I heard my father speak again.

"She's just a child, ignore her."

"But…"

"Fuyumi, you heard what Akiyama-san has said. Do not disrespect his wishes." Yoshio quickly interjected so, seeing that I was not needed, I sank back into my own thoughts. How lonely this world is even with a multitude of other bodies around me. Perhaps I should call Haruhi tomorrow, I should like to spend time with her just the two of us. I think she likes me, would it be alright to hope that she might like to spend time with me outside of school where she does not need to hide who she is?

"You must be hungry, wife to be." Kyoya's voice somehow managed to penetrate my thoughts however I was still too deep to react, not noticing that his hand had been resting atop mine for some time now. "Does this dish not tempt your appetite? I could not bear to think of you becoming any thinner or you shall simply waste away." I blinked but my eyes did not come into focus, noticing that the appetisers had been brought and I had been given a plain salad. My stomach was rumbling quietly in hunger but I hardly noticed.

Moving my hand away from Kyoya's I reached out and picked up my eating utensils, silently eating a little almost mechanically, moving without even needing to think as I felt my body grow colder. Why was the room so cold in here? It should be warmer because of the accumulated body heat, so why can't I feel it? "Akiyama-chan?" Kyoya tried again to get my attention but I hardly noticed him. Why would I? I wasn't supposed to talk to anyone. Eventually I shall simply turn to air and no one will even notice that I am gone. "Megumi."

Suddenly heat flared from my cheeks and I stopped, going perfectly still as I felt Kyoya's hand gripping my face delicately and pressing his lips to my cheek, effectively snapping me awake from the crevasses of my mind. It were as almost my whole world was being filled with light, bright and dazzling lights glowing around me as I felt Kyoya's touch bring me back to life. "You may share some of mine, allow me to deal with your father if he says anything." His whisper was so soft it tickled my ear as I gradually turned my head to look at him. He was smiling. He was smiling and to my shock, it was reaching his eyes. It was so warm and invigorating that I could almost forget that there were hundreds of other people in the room.

As promised he began to move food across from his own plate and encouraged me to eat, hand permanently resting over mine as I used my left hand to eat just so that he did not have to move away his hand. The food was so tasty and it was given with such feeling that it made my own swell within my chest until it pushed a tear from my eye which Kyoya noticed immediately and brushed it way with an intimate brush of his finger. After that I was all he paid attention to, telling me all about his latest projects and listened with great interest, though every time he stopped to explain something in more detail I stopped him and gestured for him continue, earning his respect as I was able to follow his complicated equations and long scientific terminology.

Dinner was awful in every way except for the attention Kyoya gave me and me alone. Whatever dish I was brought, he would share his with me and ensure that I always had something to drink, seemingly conscious of the fact that my father was silently fuming at me so he lowered his voice. "Is it because of the dress?" Turning I gave him a cheeky smile and touched a finger to my lips, earning a similar smile in response. "I recognise it as one you wore before though you have altered it. Cut it up entirely, in fact. I prefer it this way, it suits you better." His words made me glow with happiness and I squealed on the inside, wrapped up in his natural charm as he absentmindedly twirled a lock of my hair around his finger whilst leaning against his chair, completely relaxed.

Things were just starting to feel better when suddenly there was a disturbance from outside, an almighty crash that turned our heads though most other guests did not notice. The doors were battered open and none other than my cousin stormed in, seething with rage and red faced with drink and anger. Instinctively I rose up to stop him however Kyoya snatched my wrist and made me stop, his eyes narrowed in focus to glower darkly at my advancing cousin who spread his arms wide. "Uncle! It seems I missed your invitation, pity you started without me." He drawled and I felt like slamming my head against the table. What an idiot. "Why would you forget your dearest nephew? You even brought your dumb mute of a daughter."

My father burned with rage and rose ominously from his seat, outraged by my cousin's insolence and rudeness. We were doomed. He was going to drag our family down at this point. My father, having no other choice but to maintain appearances, apologised to Hideki who smirked victoriously and insisted that he be sat next to me so Fuyumi was made to move though she looked less than happy about it. The moment my cousin sat next to me I could smell the alcohol off his dishevelled clothes and instantly my hand snatched at Kyoya's under the table, staring forwards with tight lips. I was holding onto him so tightly there was no doubt he could feel me trembling as suddenly I felt his other hand come and rest over my own and he leaned a little closer so that I was treated to his scent as well, comforting me.

"So cousin, I see that you've finally started dressing like a real woman. You even have a little shape to you, who knew huh?" Hideki said to me as he drank deeply from his glass then ordered more sake be brought to the table. "Hey Kyoya, make sure to be careful with my cousin on your wedding night, she's as dainty is a little doll and you might accidentally break her if you're too rough."

"Hideki!" My cheeks flamed in embarrassment at his words and I sensed Kyoya stiffen beside me as he answered calmly.

"Is that so? I think that you know very little of your cousin if you believe her to be that delicate." Kyoya responded before giving a cold and calculating smirk to Hideki which threw him off guard momentarily. "She's as fiery as they come. I think I'll have my hands rather full once we marry." His words soothed my thundering heart and I allowed myself to exhale as Hideki frowned, looking down to me before snorting.

"Well it's not like the mute can even complain even if you were to be rough with her. Perhaps that could be a benefit, not having a wife who complains and demands things of you every day. Be sure to take full advantage, Kyoya-kun, and tell me all about it afterwards." Kyoya suddenly went so deathly still I thought he might actually take a swing at my cousin so I relaxed my hands and gave his a squeeze, turning a smile to him as I leaned towards his hand and kissed his palm to calm him, not wanting a confrontation. Hideki made nothing but inappropriate conversation all through our courses, putting most off of the food and I could see Mrs Ootori growing increasingly frustrated so I noted to Kyoya that I would be back with a quick smile and a lift of a finger before I rose from my seat.

Stepping around I secretly gripped onto Hideki's sleeve and tugged, wanting him to follow and he turned his head to watch me leave as I continued to walk with my eyes determinedly fixed straight forwards, deciding to take things into my own hands. He makes me uncomfortable so I shall deal with him myself. As I passed my father I did not look at him but rested my hand on his arm, making him look to me in surprise as he registered the expression on my face, one he had not seen me wear before.

The moment I was out in the foyer I turned and waited out of sight, hoping that Hideki would follow however I knew him well enough and without a doubt he would follow me. Sure enough, two minutes later Hideki partially staggered through the doors which swung shut behind him. "What's up cousin? You realise a tryst in the middle of a restaurant is not exactly a good idea, but don't worry. There's a hotel just over the road." He teased sickeningly, his hand reaching out to grab my hair however I lifted my hand and knocked his away with a single swipe.

Not expecting me to answer back my cousin stared as I then flung my hand towards the door and pointed, ordering him out with a stormy gaze of green, wanting him as far away from my sight as possible. "You incompetent little brat! You don't go giving me orders in that arrogantly silent way of yours, I'm the next patriarch of this family! I shall be the one to take control and you shall be at my beck and call as and when I wish!" He snarled at me, meaning to strike me this time however I strangely did not feel afraid.

There were enough people around that I knew that someone would notice my cousin as he had a way of drawing attention to himself and sure enough, the security immediately grabbed him from behind and drew him back, ignoring his shouts as he was dragged away. "Madam, are you alright? He did not hurt you did he?" One of the staff questioned but I shook my head, exhaling as the courage left my body and walked towards the ladies room to recover myself. As I gripped onto the sink feeling sick I trembled, unable to stop the shaking. Hideki will try to take revenge for this, I must be prepared.

Lifting my face I looked at my own reflection and blinked, dabbing away the tears with the cloth towel before then straightening my glasses and ensuring that I looked neat and tidy before returning to the table. "Megumi dear, where did you go? We were beginning to worry." Fuyumi said to me kindly so I smiled to her and reached out, touching her shoulder and she seemed surprised that I actually gave a genuine response as I took my seat beside Kyoya who glanced around before smiling to himself.

"So I see you have taken out the trash, so to speak." He said with a slight pose of a question and I nodded. "Good, he was beginning to grow bothersome." My father watched as Kyoya and I interacted rather closely, the two of us bonding second by second and I did not feel right unless he was holding my hand.

"Megumi." My father spoke after the main courses had been had and all that remained were the desserts. "You may wait for us out by the reception. Dismissed." He informed me with a wave of his hand and I blinked before obeying, pausing only to reassure Kyoya that I was alright before I left the table so that they could all enjoy their desserts in peace. I did not care for sweet things very much anyway. Passing my father I stopped for a moment, a daring thought crossing my mind before I turned and placed my hand against his furthest cheek, drawing him closer to me and pecked a kiss upon his cheek before he could complain.

I at least wanted him to know that I loved him, despite all the ways he irritated and made me upset these days. He too seemed just as miserable as I did these days, no shine in his cold green eyes remaining from days long ago. Continuing forwards I lifted a hand and summoned a porter who fetched my shawl and gloves for me, graciously placing the shawl around my shoulders as I pulled the gloves back on. Out in the reception I noticed that they had a piano of bright white set upon a raised stage, glittering flawlessly like pure white enamel and I glanced around before heading towards it.

Nothing said that you could not play it, it was simply sitting there so I lifted the lid and touched a note, hearing it sing prettily and it made me smile before I took a seat. The music flowed from me easily and as guests entered they smiled, basking in the swelling melody which welcomed them and the staff were so surprised that no one even thought to stop me. My fingers played the keys effortlessly, long fingers finding the notes even as I closed my eyes and imagined my mother playing next to me, her bright vibrancy radiating like the music that would swirl around us both.

I played for so long that I did not notice the Ootori family and my father had exited the restaurant until they were standing listening to me, staring with mouths slightly agape whilst several had tears rise to their eyes. Fuyumi sniffled into her handkerchief and her mother covered her mouth with a hand, feeling the emotion of my music as I reached out to everyone. My father, however, simply gazed at me like I were a completely different child. My glasses rested upon the surface top as I did not need to see what I was playing and I found it easier to play in front of people when I could not see them. I could pretend that they were not there and the music became my only companion.

As my song came to an end there was a collective round of applause, making me start and look up to see a multitude of blurry shapes in front of me so I quickly fixed my glasses on my face to see that I had quite the audience. Immediately I blushed and leaped to my feet, bowing low in both thanks and apology, however when I saw a hand stretched out to me I recognised it as Kyoya's. Kindly he assisted me down from the stage, hand ensuring that I did not lose my balance as I then looked up.

"My dear, you play so beautifully. Music seems to come naturally to you, does it not?" Mrs Ootori asked as she stepped forwards and reached out a hand, brushing through a lock of my hair in a motherly way before tucking it back away from my face. "Come and play for us sometime, I would be glad to listen to you play again and hear your voice through your music." My voice through my music? Is that truly how she saw my playing? Actually, it was quite an incredible concept. To think that my voice actually reached so many hearts through music and now that I think about all those happy faces I saw at the hospital every time I played, I knew she was right.

Smiling joyfully I nodded my head enthusiastically and she smiled to me before she returned to her husband who glanced across to me curiously before leaving with two of his sons. Fuyumi stayed to compliment me, her husband adding that I looked genuinely happy for the first time that evening and I blushed with a little embarrassment. Kyoya remained behind a little longer, glancing to my father so I took his hands in mine and promised him I would be alright without even needing to speak. "I shall see you soon, Akiyama. Continue to surprise me, I am beginning to enjoy myself even more now that our little game has escalated." He said to me, confusing me slightly as he lifted my hand and kissed my knuckles, not daring to push his luck since my father was still watching us. "Goodnight." With that he let me go and ventured after his family and I watched him leave, feeling a little sad to lose him from my side.

"Megumi." My father's stern voice made me shoot upright to attention, turning to face him however his expression made all my guards drop. He looked so sad, almost depressed, however there was a slight glimmer in his eyes that was not entirely to be blamed for the tears. "You did well this evening. I shall forgive you for the dress as I believe I understand where this is coming from." Reaching out he placed his hand on my head and brushed back my hair, a slight smile curling on his lips. "I can hardly argue with my wife when it comes to a girl's wardrobe. I concede defeat in this argument, but do not expect me to do so again, young lady." Too relieved that I wasn't going to be in trouble I simply nodded my head, stepping to his side and laced my arm through his and snuggled into him.

My father was such a stern, ruthless and proud man, however he was still my father and I loved him with all my heart. I knew that he had a better side to him, however that side was only ever brought out by my mother and her pain caused him to suffer too. I shall be more sympathetic from now on and try to understand him more. I think all he has ever done and said has been for me and my benefit, now I was determined to figure out how.


	18. Chapter 18

"Thank you for agreeing to help me study Megumi-chan, I really appreciate your help." Haruhi said to me and I quickly waved my hands at her to assure her it was my pleasure. We sat upon a blanket in the botanical gardens, enjoying the warmth of the sun as we both studied with a picnic. It had actually been Haruhi who had asked me for help and suggested we spent the day together studying as she wanted help for her upcoming test and I did not intend to let my grades slip either, even if most of my time was spent gathering information and resources against my father's enemies.

Several attacks had been made against his company however with my excellent hacking skills I was able to keep the systems safe from corruption. I'd become so good at programming that I had actually put my designs on the market and people were now bidding like crazy for my updates and programmes. The revenue was pretty decent and I was already working on the next update to the system. For the moment it was just small time companies who were purchasing however I was steadily gaining popularity because it was so affordable. Maybe I'll start my own company in computer software, I had the capability after all.

Nibbling on some snacks I turned over the page then looked across to Haruhi, seeing that she was puzzling over a sum so I tapped one of her notes, reminding her of what to do. "Oh right! Thanks Megumi-chan." She beamed at me before finishing the rest herself. I admired how clever and diligent she was in her work and tirelessly continued to strive to become an excellent student in order to receive the scholarship she needed to go to college and become a lawyer.

After a few more minutes I closed my book and stretched, enjoying the sun so I lay back and basked in it, feeling the breeze fanning my face as my yellow shirt rustled slightly. Haruhi soon copied my example, pausing her studying to simply bathe in the sun next to me as the clouds passed over through the skies. "Hey doesn't that one look like a bunny to you?" Haruhi asked, pointing upwards and I looked to see the oddly shaped cloud as it slowly shifted and made itself into a rather cute looking bunny. I clapped my hands and pointed to another one, thinking that it looked something like a turtle and Haruhi giggled. "Yeah I think that one looks like a turtle too."

We grinned at one another before starting to pack up. I carried the picnic basket over my arm with my bag on my back to carry my books, however Haruhi asked me to show her around the gardens so I did so. She seemed to enjoy the flowers and a butterfly even came and rested on her finger, making me smile at the pretty picture she made before I tapped her shoulder and pointed over to the lake where we could take paddle boats. "You want to try those? Okay! Let's do it!" Suddenly she had grasped my hand and I had to hold onto my broad rimmed hat so that I didn't lose it as she excitedly rushed over and we paid for a boat for the two of us.

Not wanting to risk getting our books wet we left our belongings behind the desk and got into the boat before peddling off, Haruhi laughing with amusement as we tread the water and floated onto the lake. "This is so relaxing, I feel completely at ease." Haruhi exhaled happily before smiling to me. "You're so easy to talk to Megumi-chan, I'm glad we're friends." Friends? Did she truly think of me as her friend? I feel like my world has just suddenly burst with music trumpeting in joy! Before I could get too excited, however, we both turned our heads as we heard someone calling out our names.

"Haru-chan! Meg-chan!" Mitsukuni-sempai called with a giggle and a wave as Takashi-sempai peddled the boat for him. "Look at us we're paddling in a boat!" He tossed Usa-chan up into the air playfully as he laughed just as the twins paddled into view.

"This isn't too bad, it's actually kind of relaxing." They mused together as Tamaki and Kyoya also paddled past.

"Haruhi! Be careful and don't rock the boat too much or daddy will have to dive in to rescue you!" Tamaki trilled and Haruhi smacked a hand to her face so I patted her back consolingly. She was just starting to unwind properly as well. Were they watching us all this time? "Megumi-chan take good care of my little girl okay?" I giggled quietly to myself at Tamaki's comic personality. He never changed.

"Hey boss, watch out we're coming after you!" The twins called out in warning before they bumped boats, making me clap my hands over my mouth in worry. They were going to capsize themselves if they did that!

"You guys you can't crash into each other like that! You'll break the boats!" Haruhi yelled at them before turning her face. "Let's go Megumi-chan, pretend like we don't know them." She continued to peddle so I did the same, glancing back over my shoulder I worried about how they were clunking boats together and splashing around like little children before looking away again. I was just about relaxed again when I heard Mitsukuni cry out in alarm.

"No! Usa-chan!" He wailed and both Haruhi and I turned our heads to see that he had somehow accidentally thrown his toy bunny up out of his boat and it sailed through the air before hitting the water with a splash. Everyone froze before Tamaki and the twins panicked, yelling fearfully as the rabbit started to sink.

"No not the bunny doll!" Grumbling under her breath Haruhi turned the boat around and we moved towards the toy as we were closest and I reached out for it, stretching as far as I could but the water lapping against the boat caused rippled which moved it a little further away. Almost, I almost have it, just a little closer. All at once my hand slipped from gripping the boat and I face planted the water, tumbling in as Haruhi yelled in alarm but I was so surprised that for a moment I didn't move. Well that was silly of me, now I'm all wet.

Shaking off the surprise I pushed off the ground and stood up as my hands gripped onto the toy rabbit. With my feet firmly on the ground I broke free of the water, standing perfectly unharmed. "Megumi-chan, are you alright?" Haruhi demanded fearfully so I looked across and fixed my glasses to my face before grinning and giving her a thumbs up. There was a splash in the water behind me but before I could turn someone had lifted me up onto their shoulder, making me jump at the unexpected rush but I relaxed when I saw Takashi-sempai supporting me. "Uh…Mori-sempai? You do know the water isn't deep, right?" Haruhi asked, face falling at the ridiculousness of everyone's continued panic, shouting that I was drowning and calling for the search and rescue or the coastguard.

Takashi-sempai started before placing a hand on his face, blushing slightly at his hasty reaction so I patted him on the head affectionately in thanks before he placed me back in the boat and I gave the bunny to him to return to Mitsukuni. Immediately I started to shiver, clutching my arms tightly as Haruhi and I peddled back to shore and she quickly fetched me the picnic blanket to wrap around me as my clothes were pretty much completely see through and I was flushing from embarrassment. "Do you have any clothes to change into Megumi-chan? You'll catch a cold like this." She worried however I shook my head as the others hurried back to shore whilst calling out our names. "In that case you can come back to my place! It's close by and I can loan you clothes after you've showered, is that alright?"

It sounded like a great idea so I nodded my head in acceptance before Mitsukuni suddenly flung his arms around me. "Meg-chan! You almost died saving Usa-chan!" He warbled whilst sobbing, clutching onto me tightly. "You saved Usa-chan's life! How am I ever going to repay you?!"

"Honey-sempai! Don't cling onto Megumi-chan like that, you'll make her fall!" Haruhi fussed as Tamaki came flying over and tackled me with a hug also, making my face turn an even deeper red as my knees shook violently. All these boys were hugging me, I'm so embarrassed! "Sempai! Stop crowding her already!"

"Megumi-chan! Daddy was so worried! I promise you won't ever have to go near water again and if you get ill then I'll cool your fever and nurse you back to full health!" He proclaimed whilst nuzzling my cheek until Haruhi managed to pry him off and the twins kept him restrained as he struggled.

"Hey boss, shouldn't we think about getting Megumi-chan some dry clothes? She'll definitely get ill if she stays like that." They reasoned and instantly he snapped into his professional mode, summoning the car and everyone moved off, however before I could step forwards Takashi-sempai had picked me up. I looked at him in alarm but he just gave me a warm and friendly smile.

"It will be a nuisance to walk with the blanket." He told me as Mitsukuni-sempai grinned up at me with his sodden bunny doll. Seeing as I probably could not argue even if I wanted to, I allowed myself to be carried to the car where we were driven to Haruhi's house but before she could insist everyone wait outside, they piled in.

"Hey Mr Ranka! Long time no see!" The twins chorused as I was carried inside. Taking a moment I glanced across to Kyoya and noticed that he had picked up my bag for me, carrying it over his shoulder. He had not given much of a reaction like the others had, so I figured that he was just putting on his usual cool façade for them.

"Oh my dear! What happened to you? Poor thing." A voice I did not recognise caught my attention and I turned to see a man dressed as a woman. A very pretty looking woman. "Let's get you tidied up, I'll show you where everything is you just take your time and don't worry about a thing." Takashi-sempai put me down and I was carted away, Haruhi helping me in the bathroom by showing me how the shower switched on and off before she brought me some of her clothes and mine were tossed into the washer with the doll to be cleaned. I was glad to get rid of the lake smell as it had started to cling to my skin and I made sure to use plenty of soap so that once I was out of the shower I was fresh faced and squeaky clean, hair wrapped up in a towel as I dried and changed. Haruhi had given me a plain shirt and jeans to change into and it was an odd sensation as I had never worn anything like it before, but it was extremely comfortable. Perhaps I shall purchase a pair for myself?

"Megumi-chan? Everything alright in there?" Ranka knocked so I opened the door and bowed, blinking blearily as I rubbed the steam off my glasses then placed them on so that I could see him. "Oh aren't you just the cutest thing? Haruhi has told me all about you and I'm so happy she's finally made a girl friend I was starting to get really worried you know with all the men she hangs around with." He babbled to me as he gripped my hand with a warm smile. "Come and have some tea to warm you up on the inside, that lake must have been freezing."

He fussed over me so nicely that I was rather astounded, blinking as he gave me the comfiest seat and ensured that I was warm, offering me blankets and food and I hardly knew how to react until Haruhi patted his shoulder. "Okay dad, you know I told you that Megumi-chan is shy around strangers so give her some space." Ranka apologised profusely, tearing up at the thought that he could have upset me as he crouched on the floor so I reached out without thinking and patted him three times on the head.

"Huh?" He blinked at me, confused however everyone else's jaws dropped.

"What?! She accepted him that quickly?!"

"Wow Ranka, you really are cool." The twins grinned wickedly as everyone else stared. "Megumi-chan has never warmed up to anyone so fast. You're a natural." However after they told him about the three pats being sort of an accepting ceremony for me, Ranka started to cry for joy and I panicked, looking around desperately but Haruhi just told me to ignore him.

"How could you be so cruel to daddy, Haruhi?" He sniffled before blowing his nose loudly. Inside Haruhi's house it was a tight fit so I was wedged uncomfortably between the twins who had opted to take seats either side of me and I anchored my hands to my lap as everyone else chattered away. It seems the Host Club were regular visitors, though Ranka did not seem to like Tamaki very much because he was too familiar with Haruhi. Tamaki was so besotted with Haruhi it was cute to watch.

"Hey Kyoya, we heard something interesting the other day." The twins started with their mischievous voices as I sipped my tea. "We heard that you now have a fiancée. Come on, tell us who it is!" I almost spat out my tea.

"WHAT?!" Tamaki yelled as he leaped to his feet and pointed at Kyoya who looked nonplussed by everyone's shocked attention being turned to him. "You got engaged and you didn't tell me? How could you be so cruel?!" He complained as Mitsukuni-sempai suggested we celebrate with cake.

"It is true, my father arranged a marriage for me and I am engaged, I simply did not think it would be of interest to anyone else." Kyoya answered smoothly as I practically started shaking in my seat, a blush creeping onto my cheeks as everyone demanded to know who it was. "Well, you _are_ sitting right next to her so I would think that you knew her very well." Instantly everyone stopped, looking to the person first on their left and then on their right before the twins looked at me.

"HUH?!"

"You mean _Megumi_ -chan is your fiancée?" The twins balked and Tamaki crashed right there, making me panic and wave my hands over him in alarm to try and bring him back around. Everyone was completely overreacting. Mostly, Haruhi didn't seem too bothered and was even a little confused.

"Yay! Kyoya-chan and Meg-chan are going to live happily ever after!" Mitsukuni cheered, jumping up and down as Haruhi tried to shake Tamaki awake. "Will you have cake? I think you should have the biggest cake in the world!"

"Oh my dear that's wonderful! I'm so happy!" Ranka cried sweetly as he gripped my hands and shook them. "But if you're not happy then you can always come and hide here with us it wouldn't be a problem besides I have so many questions I want to ask you about my cute Haruhi!" With everybody talking, shouting and yelling at once I began to feel dizzy, a headache coming over me and I dropped to my knees which Tamaki instantly noticed as he came back around so he flung out his hand.

"Men! We should stop crowding poor Megumi-chan this instant, we are overwhelming her." He announced and everyone went deadly quiet as he placed his hands upon my shoulders as sat down beside me. "There, that's better isn't it Megumi-chan? Don't worry, we will offer you our full support in this match and wish you an abundance of happiness." His words comforted me so I relaxed, giving a tiny smile as I tucked my hair behind my ear.

"Well, since this is a happy moment, let's have some more treats." Ranka decided, going to fetch more snacks for everyone whilst we all returned to sitting neatly and normally, though I could see everyone glancing across to me as I sneaked peeks at Kyoya though I was disappointed by his disinterest in the entire awkward situation he had created.

"Hey, does anyone know where we're going for the fieldtrip next week?" The twins suddenly asked, snapping their fingers at the same time. "We've already forgotten and we don't know what to pack." My head lifted slightly. Of course, I had completely forgotten about the fieldtrip the school was taking. Some of the first and second years were going out of the city and to a shrine temple where we would learn team building skills and things like orientation out in the country. I was actually really looking forward to it. After that the trip was all anyone could talk about though Mitsukuni was upset that he wasn't allowed to go since he and Takashi-sempai were third years.

"Here we go! Dig in my darlings, there's plenty to go around though ladies first." Ranka declared and placed the snacks down on the table where Haruhi and I chose first before everyone else grabbed what they wanted. After my clothes were washed and dried I got changed and Mitsukuni hugged Usa-chan to him so tightly I feared his head was going to pop off. Thankfully my shoes were still intact and had also dried and Takashi had even rescued my hat for me, making me smile as I placed it on my head and smiled to everyone. "You're so cute Megumi-chan! Come back soon okay and bring plenty of clothes with you so Haruhi can try them on!" He pleaded so I nodded my head then bowed, making him flutter his hand. "So adorable!"

"Bye Ranka, see you next time!" The twins chorused as everyone said their goodbyes and Haruhi gave me a quick smile before she hurriedly kicked Tamaki out despite his sobs and shut the door on him. I giggled. Those two were so sweet together. Everyone else started to get into the car but I had naturally made my way to the bus stop, walking a little down the street before Tamaki called after me.

"Megumi-chan! Where are you going?" I pointed to the bus stop then waved, however as I saw Kyoya's car pull up he slid his glasses up his face then held out his hand towards me.

"I shall escort you home, I want to make sure you get there safely. After all, you might suddenly go into shock." Touched by his words I glanced to the others who were all spying on us nosily so I blushed but took his hand, not exactly averse to spending some time with Kyoya alone. Like a true gentleman he assisted me into the car after taking my bag for me and once the door was shut we were away, everyone waving behind us like idiots. "I apologise for that but I saw no reason to keep it secret from them since they asked so directly." Kyoya mused as he cleaned his glasses then turned towards me. "Let's make sure you're alright, Akiyama."

He lifted his hand to my brow to feel it, humming in thought before withdrawing. "It is as I thought, you are slightly feverish. When you get home I suggest you rest plenty and take the time to recover. Your hand is trembling, are you cold?" I shook my head and tightened my grip on my skirt to try and hide the fact I was shaking but Kyoya lay his arm around me regardless, pulling me towards him. "You had me worried for a moment but I am glad you are alright. Although, I will admit I'm a little disappointed you did not require oral resuscitation." My pulse shot through the roof at his low voice which whispered in my ear and I tensed against it instinctively. "I would have been more than happy to assist you had that been the case."

With his fingers trapping my chin he turned my face towards him, stealing my breath away as he leaned in close, teasing me with the warmth of his skin and the memory of his lips against mine before suddenly he pulled back. "But since you're alright, there's no need." My entire body plummeted and I slumped, both glad and disappointed at the same time. Kyoya did not say anything else for the entire journey, seeing me back safely to the hotel where I jumped out the car with my bag gripped tightly in hand. I wasn't going to let him get his chance to mess with me again, I'm running for it! Quickly I bowed down low in his general direction, sprinting for the hotel doors and dove inside before he could so much as call out my name.


	19. Chapter 19

Although this fieldtrip was going to be good fun, it was a shame I won't be able to visit my mother for a while. I had made sure to see her at the hospital before I left with a beautiful silk scarf which she wore like a wrap and had been extremely happy with the gift. The only down side to this trip was the fact that almost everyone in the Host Club were attending and they were being a nuisance. I sat next to Haruhi who gazed out the window peacefully whilst the twins and Tamaki argued noisily, making everyone else look back as they fought over who would be on Haruhi's team.

I'm glad it's a short journey, otherwise this would be intolerable. First we had flown out to the country in the school jet and now we were taking a coach up the mountain. I am not sure how these monks will appreciate rich snobs and spoiled brats but hopefully they will tolerate us since we were only staying for the day and would return home in the evening. "Hey look, we're here." Haruhi sat up so I looked out the window to see the mountain temple. "This is pretty amazing." I agreed, it was a lovely place and I could already feel my energy being renewed.

"Yay! We're finally here!" Tamaki proclaimed and was the first to leap off the coach. "Here we shall learn to develop important team skills and learn from the great wisdom of the old and wrinkled!" Old and wrinkled? Tamaki had a strange way of saying things. He was so excited that he simply could not calm down, however when we were given our tasks he immediately set about doing everything he could with the utmost enthusiasm whilst the other kids complained.

I was asked to help in the garden and I learned some very useful tips about how to tend to vegetables, the monks there guiding us all and I happily took my pickings to the kitchen so that they could be prepared for lunch. Birds sang in the trees and the chimes rang out softly on the breeze as I listened, taking off my glasses for a moment to simply listen and not see. My ears picked out every little sound from the rustle of the waving grass to the drip drops of the water from the tap. Everything was so natural out here I could not help but appreciate it. With a soft smile I placed my glasses back on my face and wiggled them a little, blinking. I shall have to get an appointment at the opticians soon, I might need a new prescription because some things were still a little blurry. After blinking a few times I turned around and saw Kyoya standing with his team helping sweep the yard.

It amused me a little, seeing Kyoya sweeping when he was usually at a laptop or merely minding his own business. Watching him do such a simple task was not what I expected to ever see him doing. As if he could read my thoughts Kyoya glanced across and caught my eye, smirking slightly before continuing on and I hurriedly walked away with rosy cheeks. It was a good trip and at the end of the day we all bowed to the monks who thanked us for our visit before we were then permitted to climb back into the coach.

There were two separate ones and I went with Haruhi into the latter coach along with the twins, Kyoya and Tamaki. We all sat together at the back, Tamaki endlessly talking about the jobs he had done and how he marvelled these men for continuing their traditions for many years however I was so tired that I fell asleep the moment we moved off. It should have been a simple trip down the mountain and back to town to the jet but when everyone started screaming and the coach lurched suddenly I was startled awake and instantly gripped onto the seat in front of me to keep from falling into the aisle.

Haruhi yelled and had clung onto me as the girls all screamed horribly, the coach grinding to a halt and I gasped for breath, shaking my head to dispel the shock before looking out the window. A truck had pulled out in the middle of the road at the crossroads and stopped, forcing the coach to swerve and we had rolled down the hill and crashed into the ditch. "Haruhi! Megumi!" Tamaki immediately called out so I waved a hand to signal we were alright.

"There's someone coming!" One of the girls shrieked and without warning the door was ripped open and everyone screamed again. Having recovered, Haruhi held onto me protectively with an arm held across me ready to shield me as I shivered. Men in white fox masks stepped inside, throwing a canister or two in with us and the moment it started to smoke, the coach was filled with screams again and everyone tried to open the windows to escape. I pounded my fist whilst holding my breath, however soon I was struggling for air and I had no choice but to suck in a breath.

Haruhi collapsed next to me, completely unconscious so I tried to shake her, but as my vision began to blur I swayed, body trembling before all at once I blacked out.


	20. Chapter 20

When I awoke I was on the floor somewhere cold and slightly damp, making me shiver as I then remembered everything that happened and quickly sat bolt upright. There was a crack in my glasses but I could still see with them and as I looked around, I saw that there was a small group of girls and boys around me. Some were groaning, beginning to come around and I crawled over to Kaoru and Hikaru who were closest and shook them until they stirred. "What…what happened?" Hikaru groaned, flinching with pain before all at once his eyes opened. "Oh no, Kaoru! Wake up Kaoru! Megumi, where are we?" I shook my head in answer and looked around.

Across the room I saw Kyoya and Tamaki begin to rise so I rushed forwards, sprinting for all I was worth before flinging my arms around Kyoya as he rubbed his head. "Megumi, thank goodness you're alright." He exhaled with relief as his hands rested upon my shoulders. "Do not worry, I believe this is a very simple hostage situation. We shall be out of here in no time." He said and his strong calmness comforted me somewhat but I did not let him go.

"They must have knocked us out with that gas before bringing us here. What happened to the security detail?" Tamaki questioned, coughing slightly as the twins followed though Hikaru was supporting his brother as he was not fully conscious yet.

"The highest probability is that they were dealt with before the attack on the coach. For now we should sit quietly until we know exactly who we are dealing with. Once the ransom has been demanded, our families shall know what has happened and will no doubt take measures to return us home." I was glad he was so confident, I must look completely pathetic trembling like a leaf against him and he practically had to peel me off him though I gripped onto his arm and hung on tight, not wanting to be separated from him.

The others started to shout and panic however Tamaki kept them calm with gentle reassurance, acting as if this was all nothing and we were perfectly safe. Upon hearing us starting to wake up, however, the large and empty room suddenly filled with the grating sound of the door being unlocked and opened to reveal the fox masked kidnappers.

"What do you want with us? Who are you people?" One of the girls asked as the twins stepped closer to me, shielding me from view as Kyoya also turned in his shoulder ready to push me out of the way. They were all so considerate, thinking of me first before themselves. "When my father learns that you kidnapped me you shall be terribly sorry! Let us go now!"

"Quiet." That voice, it sounded familiar but it was husky and nasally, as if they were purposefully putting on a fake voice. "You are all prisoners now, so be silent and do not cause trouble or you shall be tortured for information. The price for your release is twenty million yen each and if your families do not pay by sunset, then they shall be receiving your heads in parcels come morning!" The girls whimpered and even some of the boys paled visibly as their eyes filled with terror. There were only about fifteen students here, but with each ransom paid that would an incredible amount of money.

Glancing around I reassured myself that Haruhi wasn't here, however that made me worry. Did they leave her behind? Some of the students on the bus were not here, in fact only a small number of us had been taken and we appear to be of the most prestigious and wealthiest of families. They must have known exactly who to take and planned it in advance. "Now that you have been warned, I would get comfortable. You might only have a few hours to live." Some of the girls started sobbing, huddling together and I felt dread flare through me as I watched the villains leave and lock us in once more.

"We cannot allow this to happen. We need a way of contacting the outside world." Tamaki immediately spoke as he hunched down and the twins crouched with him, the five of us making a circle which I was pulled into. "Kyoya, do you have any idea where we are?"

"We appear to be in an abandoned warehouse of sorts, though I cannot be certain. However, were we to be able to learn our location and send these coordinates to my family's Black Onion Squad, they would have no trouble in overcoming our captors and freeing us." Kyoya responded and I blinked, eyes turning away for a moment before I thought of something. If these people needed to communicate with our families then they must have communication devices. If I can get my hands on one of them or find where they had all of their computers, then I would be able to send a message out to any computer so long as I was given some time.

Lifting my hand I gestured to Tamaki to get his attention before placing a hand over my chest, looking at him seriously. "I know you want to help Megumi, but this is dangerous. You had better just stay here." He said so I scowled at him before glancing around. We need to draw their attention first, make them open the door and give us a chance to escape. An idea sprung to mind so I dusted myself off and walked quietly forwards, glancing around before I gave a sharp pull on someone's hair, making them cry out and turn around to the person behind them. The girl responded by yanking the long plait of the other student, making them shriek before yelling.

"What was that for? How dare you?!"

"Me? You started it!" As they started to fight I shoved at someone else then disappeared, working around until finally everyone was shouting and fighting, banging against the walls and throwing punches. The Host Club blinked at me as I returned with a cheeky grin, pressing a finger to my lips then gestured to the door as it flew open and some guards walked in, ordering everyone to calm down however as the stubborn teenagers continued to fight, they waded in to break people up and brandish their weapons whilst Tamaki, the twins, Kyoya and I tiptoed away, looking out before hurrying down the corridor.

"That's great but what now?" Hikaru and Kaoru asked me so I shrugged. This was as far as I got with my plan. Looking around I saw that there were no cameras of any kind so I reasoned that this was a poorly funded snatch and grab as even some of the weapons they had been carrying looked second grade. Tamaki went into full commando mode, leaping forwards and rolling along the floor with the twins creeping behind him, serious as he used various hand signals to lead us forwards. I followed after everyone however Kyoya reached back and took me by my wrist, drawing me close to him.

"Do not stray from my side." He ordered in a quiet voice so I nodded my head and stepped closer to him, one hand holding onto the back of his blazer jacket. As we rounded the corner we hurried for a jut in the wall to conceal ourselves, hearing two guards nearby we all huddled together, Kyoya hiding me behind his back as Tamaki listened carefully.

"I'm going to try and distract them, the rest of you try to find an exit or a way of contacting the outside world. Kyoya, it's up to you now!" He said before quickly checking the coast was clear and hurrying forwards, glancing both left and right before making a run for it.

"Hey you, stop! How'd you get out?!" The guards quickly tore after him and we listened to the sounds of their footsteps retreating as the twins whistled quietly.

"Wow, the boss is brave." They said however Kyoya was already moving forwards.

"We must not waste time, follow me." His hand was still securely wrapped around his wrist and I followed, having to jog to keep up as the twins walked behind us however a few minutes later, we ran into another group of guards.

"Stop them!" Kaoru and Hikaru jumped forwards to shield us as Kyoya tore forwards, dragging me with him as we broke into a run and quickly disappeared as the twins began to laugh, dodging and avoiding being caught in perfect synchrony with each other. They were amazing! They didn't seem frightened at all and here I was shaking like a leaf.

"Keep up with me Megumi, don't fall behind." Kyoya cautioned firmly so I tried to run faster, pushing myself to keep up with him as we ran into more guards and had to quickly double back and race down another corridor. This place was like a labyrinth, a network which quickly had us turned over our heads until finally by pure luck we found the room where they kept their computers. "Hurry, inside!" Kyoya shouldered his way through the door and pulled me inside as bullets fired after us, people shouting loudly in all directions and Kyoya wasted no time in wedging the door shut with a chair and turning the lock, gritting his teeth to brace it momentarily as someone hammered against it. Looking around I saw that their technology was basic, just simple computers but the programming was advanced and they must have ghost chips otherwise they could be tracked. The phone line must also be prepared against being traced.

"Get down Megumi!" Kyoya flung out his hand and I jumped at his order, quickly hurrying to the back of the room with him and ducking down, watching as his fingers began to blur over the keyboard. "Damn it, they have a firewall. I need time to break through it." He growled as he began to try and work quickly however as the door began to budge and give way, I could not help but notice he was not using the quickest method. Just as I stood up from my hiding place the door gave way and I hurriedly pushed Kyoya aside as it hung on its hinges, almost completely broken down. "Megumi!" I ignored him as my fingers began to work, quickly hacking the password to enter the system and began to type furiously as I linked into my father's security system to send the details whilst covering my tracks, making sure that no record trail was left behind. "You…you know about software?" Kyoya questioned but I had no time to answer.

I hit send, wrote half an email as a decoy pleading for help and deactivated the ghost programme so that it could be easily tracked, my heart leaping to my throat as the door finally crashed to the ground and Kyoya leaped onto me, pulling me aside to shield me but hands quickly grabbed him and tore him away. "Megumi! Megumi! Don't you touch her!" He roared and I had never before heard him use such a tone or use such volume. It was quite frightening but not as frightening as when they grabbed my hair and pulled me away from him also even as I flung my hands out towards him.

"Boss, they were using the computer." Someone stated as a figure walked in, all of them still bearing their fox masks.

"See what they did." The leader ordered as I knelt on the ground, grasping the hands that had ripped back my head by my hair as one of the accomplices checked over the systems. "Well?"

"Nothing much, they were trying to send this email and they deactivated the ghost programme. Looks like we caught them in time." As tears streaked down my face there was a snap of the leader's fingers and I was suddenly dropped, trembling on the ground as most of the others left save for one or two who blocked the door.

"Well, well, looks like you two lovebirds have been foiled. Pity." Wait. I _did_ know that voice. It can't be, it's impossible! "What? No greeting for your favourite cousin, mute?" Hideki. Lifting my tearstained face I watched as he pulled off his mask and smirked before crouching down and rubbed away one of the tears. "Don't cry like that cousin, you're not all that pretty and crying like that makes you look worse." His insult only made me cry more.

"Unhand her immediately." Kyoya demanded in a cold and spine tingling voice that made my blood ran cold. Hideki turned, giving Kyoya a bloodthirsty look as he made me stand on my feet, his hands resting upon my shoulders before all at once he slammed me against the wall and crushed my throat, making me black out momentarily from the sudden lack of oxygen. "No! Stop that! Let her go!" Kyoya struggled but his captors kept him anchored and he did not possess the strength to overcome them. "Megumi, Megumi!" He was shouting so loudly and once my vision cleared, I could see an expression of fear on his face. Genuine fear.

Somehow, it comforted me. At least now I know how he felt. Even if he did not love me, I knew that he at least cared for me and somehow, that was enough. As my cousin choked me, I tried to pry off his hands but I was quickly losing strength and he blocked my attempts to knee and kick him almost too easily. "Your father is a dying man, dear cousin, did you know that? His liver has been failing for some time now and soon enough you'll be an orphan and then you'll be at my mercy, however I do not feel charitable enough to take in a mute _brat_ like you. If you die, it'll break the old man's heart and hopefully he'll go to an early grave. First of course I need to secure your mother's fortune and the inheritance of her grandparents that has been left for you, but after that you're going to be made into shark food, piece by piece."

His chilling words struck fear into my heart as I stared at him in horror, knowing he meant every word. My father was dying? Was this one of his lies or was he for once not deceiving me? Hideki was foolish, obnoxious and arrogant, but he was cunning in his own way and malicious. If he wanted something he would get it but I had no way of knowing his ploy until the last hand had been played. "But you're no fun, mute. So to make things more interesting, I'm going to offer you a chance to save your boyfriend. Or rather, your fiancée." Suddenly he let go and cracked his fist against my gut, knocking the wind out of me as I hunched over and dropped as if he had knocked the strength from me too whilst Kyoya's furious bellow was a distant sound. "Stand him up boys."

Blearily I turned my head, clutching my stomach as blood dribbled from my mouth from where I had bit my lip, seeing them drag Kyoya up onto his feet and with a powerful swing, Hideki punched him too. Alarm flared through me and I struggled, trying to get up but it was no use. "Scream cousin! Say something! All you have to do is say one word, any word, and I'll stop!" Hideki laughed maniacally as he threw punch after punch, knocking Kyoya's glasses flying as Hideki then dropped kicked him.

Inside I was screaming but without any breath I could not make a sound and my throat was closing up again, refusing to allow me to even whimper as I continued to fight. I have to do this, I have to fight back for Kyoya! They're hurting him, they could kill him unless I break this chain around my neck. Just one sound, one word, that is all it will take. I must. I simply must. "…" Struggling for breath I rubbed my stomach and tried to push myself upright, elbows collapsing as Kyoya fell to his knees and Hideki swung at his ribs. "…n…n…o…"

My fingers curled into fists as tears of pain, anger and fear streamed down my face and blurred my vision until I made myself lift my head and I saw Hideki draw a knife from his belt and tilted it towards the light so that it glinted menacingly at me. No. No. No, no, no! He tossed me a smirk, knowing full well the pain I was in as he gripped the hilt tightly and walked around to stand behind Kyoya and ripped back his head by his hair as he hung limply. No, no, no, NO!

"KYOYAAAAAAAAAA!" Flinging out my hand I suddenly broke through my own barrier of soundproof glass that it felt like everything around me shattered, my scream alarming everyone so much that my cousin froze and stared at me and even Kyoya was brought out of his partial consciousness, looking at me with such wide eyes as I lay helplessly on the floor reaching out to him. In his shock, my cousin dropped the knife and it harmlessly clattered to the ground. I'd done it…I had done it! I spoke, for the first time in goodness knows how long I had finally spoken! It felt so liberating but even now I could feel my throat locking itself up again though not as tightly as before.

"You…you spoke…you actually spoke…" Hideki stuttered as he let go of Kyoya and came back to me, grasping me by the hair and dragging me to my knees to look at him. "Do you really love him that much? Huh? Answer me brat!" Throwing me back down my body was wracked with sobs but I was nodding my head, answering yes. I did love him. I loved Kyoya because he was special and unlike anyone else in the world and he understood me without even needing my voice to hear me. "How touching, filthy lowlife!" Suddenly his foot slammed into my back and I contorted with pain, hearing Kyoya yelling furiously once more. "Well since you've got your voice back, I'll be sure to make sure you can never speak again! I'll burn your throat with a hot poker until you choke!" Just as he lifted his foot to stamp on my head, sirens began to blare and red flashes filled my blurry vision. "What the hell is happening? Someone report!"

"Sir! We've got intruders, professionals by the looks of it and they're taking out everyone like flies!" Someone reported and I exhaled with relief. They found us. We were safe.

"Damn it! Leave him, we're taking the girl and getting out of here." With a snap of his fingers Kyoya was tossed aside and someone grabbed me by the waist to throw me over their shoulder, making me kick and squirm as I tried to call out for Kyoya but I was breathless again and in too much pain.

"No…Megumi…don't take her…" I heard him gasp before we were gone from that room. I was carted forwards however I refused to be taken hostage again so I looked to my captor's belt, hoping for something useful. He carried a gun, a knife and a small grenade like thing however I could tell it was a smoke bomb by its make and issue as they were made by a weapons manufacturer here in Japan. Plus, it had a stripe of colour around it. Quickly I grabbed it and pulled the pin, instantly blasting a thick cloud of red around myself and the person carrying me who yelled and instinctively dropped me so I flung it after my cousin who turned back and did my best to flee.

Although I was in pain the adrenaline kept me going as I ran in the opposite direction, fleeing through the compound and I did not stop as I could hear people racing after me. I tried to get back to Kyoya but there were so many turns that I could not find my way back. "Stop her! Get back here you little…AGH!" Before they could finish the insult someone seemed to take out my pursuers but I was in complete flight mode and would not stop running until I rounded a corner and almost ran directly into a firing squad.

They were dressed completely in black with protective armour and thick helmets, making me give a squeaky scream as my hands jumped to my face and I dropped to my knees. "Hold fire! Priority target located, Miss Akiyama is recovered alive." One of them spoke and I trembled as he approached. "Please come with us miss, we're here to rescue you." This made me lift my head and as I rubbed the red powder from my glasses I finally noticed the insignia of my family name on their shoulder guards. My father had his own assault team? I wasn't aware of this. "Do not panic, you're safe now."

Lifting my head I nodded, trying to wipe away my tears carefully as I was covered in the red powder from the smoke bomb and I looked down at my legs to see they were still shaking. Without a word the commander lifted me up and carried me forwards, one hand resting over my head to comfort me as I curled up into a tiny ball and nursed my wounds which were now beginning to hurt even more. When we got outside the light was blinding, making me flinch away from it until I blinked and could see. My father was bellowing at Hideki, calling him the scum of the family and publically disowning him, however upon seeing the tears in my father's eyes, I realised how worried he must have been for me.

"Papa!" I suddenly cried out without thinking and I pushed myself from the arms of the man who had carried me out, stumbling slightly before I ran with all my remaining strength towards my father as I cried. "Papa, papa!" As my father turned he stared at me in awestruck surprise before he too was sobbing and we flung our arms around one another as everyone else stared, the girls hiding their mouths politely as they whispered.

"Did Akiyama just speak? I thought she was mute?"

"Maybe the fright cured her, who knows? It was her father that saved us though, we should be terribly grateful." Whilst I cried my pitiful heart out with no shame I gripped onto my father's neck and buried my face there, comforted by his large arms and portly belly as we both fell to our knees.

"Megumi! I cannot apologise to you enough for everything, please forgive me my precious princess…forgive your foolish old man. I thought I had lost you forever!" He cried just as much as I did and his words made me smile, finally feeling safe as I wiped my face and pulled back slightly to kiss his flushed face, reassuring him that I was alright. "I promise I shall make it up to you, I shall make everything up to you, my princess." I was happy, so happy. My father felt like his old self again and when he opened his eyes, I could see that old light had returned to be as vibrant and vivid as before even though he sobbed rather pathetically like me.

Gradually he pulled himself together, wiping his face in his sleeve before ordering my cousin and his followers to be taken away, returning to scolding him and swearing blind that he'd be in prison for the rest of his life and if not, then a secure facility for the mentally unstable. I watched them take my cousin away, feeling a little surreal however when I heard my name being cried out I turned around to see Kyoya flying to me. "Megumi!" His wounds were terrible and he must have been in so much pain however he fell to his knees before me and pulled me into his arms to trap me against his chest, arms wrapping around me tightly like a cocoon of warmth and security. "You're alright…you're alright…thank goodness…" He was shaking and when I felt something warm against my face I quickly opened my eyes to see he was crying. "You shouldn't be anywhere near me, I am no good for you Megumi, you should run far away from me and not look back."

Shaking my head I touched his face to make him look at me. He was covered in the red powder same as I now, making me smile as I took his hand and kissed his palm but his pain filled face only contorted further. "What does that mean? Megumi…what does it mean?!" Suddenly he slumped against me, fainting from the injuries and I gasped, quickly catching him and lying him down on the grass as Tamaki yelled for the medics. Kyoya looked like he was in so much pain but not only because of his injuries. There was an affliction inside him that was causing an imbalance, tearing away at his insides and I think I knew what it was about. Me.

I had no time to think of anything else as my father then helped me to my feet and insisted I go to the hospital so Kyoya and I were airlifted away and taken via helicopter whilst the rest of the students were rescued by the secret police force that I did not know my family owned. It seems my father has been keeping more than one secret from me all this time without my ever knowing.


	21. Chapter 21

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was my mother. She was smiling at me and I instantly smiled back, feeling her hand stroking my hair and it felt wonderful. "Good morning my love, how do you feel?" Nodding my head I stood up, surprised by how well I felt. "You were severely bruised but thankfully nothing was broken, you will have to take it easy for a few days but nothing a few days in bed will not fix." She told me and upon hearing her voice, my father stirred in the seat on my other side.

"Megumi my princess, thank goodness you're awake." He exhaled with relief before leaning down and kissing me on my head. "Are you in pain? Do you require anything?" I shook my head, giving another smile to reassure them that I was alright as I reached out and held their hands. "Everything has been taken care of, you shall never have to deal with your vulgar little cousin again, he will be locked away for the rest of his life if I have my way."

"Dearest, do not worry Megumi with such matters. She has only just woken up." My mother chided and instantly I saw the bright love between them and it made me tear up with joy. How I'd missed this. "Now, this Kyoya boy has told us everything that happened and how clever you were, Megumi. I'm so proud of you! You have your mother's wits." Mother said to me with a mischievous gleam as she pulled her silken shawl around her shoulders further. She still looked frail but I noticed that her face was not as thin as before and colour had returned to her cheeks. Even her hair looked silkier than before. Had she gotten out of bed just to come and visit me? I could not help but feel her overwhelming love. "But darling, you did not tell me that you were _engaged_! What were you thinking Hiroshi?! She is only just sixteen and you intend to marry her off?! You and I will have a very long talk about this and about all those awful dresses you made her wear!"

"I know dear, I know, but you know I had no choice." He said to her before looking to me. "Listen to me, princess, you see your father is not very well. In fact, my health has been deteriorating for some time now and I do not know how long I shall live for. I wanted to set you up with a comfortable life where you would have love and support should neither of us be there with you." He explained to me though he was bawling like a baby as he did so. "Your papa just wanted you to be strong and teach you to hate me as much as possible so that when I went you wouldn't feel sad! Papa couldn't bear to think of his little princess in pain!"

"Oh you're such a baby Hiroshi, we're not dead yet!" Mother scolded him again as I sniffled, rubbing my eyes of their tears. "Come now my love, don't be so sad. Like I said, we are not dead yet and we will not go so easily. The doctors have given me good news, my treatments are finally beginning to work and they expect me to make another recovery, isn't that wonderful? I think your music helped to lift my spirits and heal me, Megumi, because it was only after you started sneaking into the hospital to see me I began to feel like my old self again." My parents both hugged me, showering me with love as I clung onto them. "And as for your foolish and fat father, I shall keep him on a strict diet and make sure he stays healthy. Can I count on your help, my princess?" Nodding my head eagerly I sucked in a deep breath before beaming.

"Yes!" Step by step I was gaining back my voice and my parents suddenly both burst into tears from joy at hearing my voice. "Mom…dad…" I continued, voice surprisingly mellow and rich which took me by surprise. "…love…I…love you. I love you both." They continued to wail and cry like children so I hugged their heads against me, finally feeling like my family was back together again. Once they had recovered I whispered Kyoya's name as a means to ask to see him, however my mother insisted I did not walk and take a wheelchair. She herself was feeling rather tired so my father took her away and left me with a nurse so that I could have some privacy with Kyoya.

He was in his own private room and it was dark, so the moment the nurse closed the door I opened one of the curtains to let in the light and opened the window, stiffly making my way to the bed where Kyoya lay sleeping. It was a rather large bed with plenty of space so I sucked in a breath for courage before climbing up, laying down next to him and curled my fingers through his, gazing at him for a moment before also closing my eyes as I was once again exhausted. I listened to the pulse of his heart on the monitor, relaxing next to him however after a while I sensed him stir and let go of my hand, pulling it away before sliding it beneath me and drawing me to his chest.

I worried for his injuries however as I sat up I suddenly found his mouth against mine, kissing me softly and pleasantly as he lifted his other hand to link our fingers together. His eyes were unfocused but they were looking at me even through the haze, a distant smile on his face as I blushed but snuggled against him as carefully as I could, his arm wrapped over my waist as our entwined hands lay against his chest. Even though his body was hot with fever mine seemed to cool him down as he stopped shaking in his sleep and relaxed with me. Nothing could have been more perfect than that precious time we spent together and it was beyond compare to any riches I could think of. I never wanted it to end and I was grateful when the nurses came they did not disturb us though they squealed at the cute display.

None of Kyoya's family came to see him except his sister, however by that point I had left the bed in search of food and come back, sitting by his side. "Megumi-chan! I'm so happy that you're awake I was so worried for you when I heard what happened!" She cried out loudly and I quickly glanced to Kyoya however Fuyumi seized my face and inspected it closely. "Men can be such beasts. What a terrible ordeal, you must have been frightened."

"Please be quiet Fuyumi." Kyoya drawled however Fuyumi instantly pounced on him, grasping his shoulders and shaking him.

"You wake up this minute Kyoya and pay attention to your wonderful and diligent fiancée she's been waiting for you for hours now!" She yelled at him and I squeaked, jumping up and putting aside my food as Kyoya was dragged from sleep.

"Ugh, that hurts!" He complained and clutched his ribs. I had already read over his notes. Broken ribs, severe bruising, dislocated shoulder and several other injuries that needed time to heal. It was all my fault. I should have followed Hideki's movements more closely and been more diligent in learning what he did behind my father's back. If I had known he had been plotting to extort money from us all I could have prevented it. As I sniffed and felt more tears rise to my face I knelt down on the ground and placed my forehead against my hands, bowing down as low as I could. "M-Megumi, what on earth do you think you are doing?" Kyoya questioned, noticing me first and Fuyumi blinked as she turned around.

"Huh? Oh Megumi-chan! You must stand up, please raise your head!" She insisted however I refused, bowing to them both in heartbroken apology. I deserved to lower my head to them, it is my fault that Kyoya is in this condition and I must bear responsibility.

"Megumi Akiyama. Get up." Kyoya ordered calmly as he reached for his glasses and put them on, supporting himself on one arm so with a breath I gradually rose back to my feet but kept my head bowed. "The actions of your cousin are by no means your fault. If it were not for you, it is doubtful that we would have been found before sunset therefore in all honesty it is I who owe you." He said before stretching out his hand. "Now come here, my bride to be." The slight tease in his voice earned a flicker of a smile as I looked up and went to him, taking his hand in mine and placing it against my face to kiss gingerly. As his thumb brushed against my cheek his sister watched us in barely contained happiness, flapping her hands as she watched us interact but I barely noticed. Kyoya was so handsome to look at I couldn't bear to look away from him.

We stayed like that from then on, me by his side helping to tend to him despite the nurses insisting I should get my own rest. Fuyumi stayed and pestered Kyoya about how she thought we should plan for our wedding and giving marriage advice but I don't think he was listening to her, because all the while she was speaking Kyoya never once took his eyes off me. It made my heart overflow completely.


	22. Chapter 22

"Megumi-chan! I'm so happy to see you alive!" Tamaki tackled me with his embrace when I walked into the Host Club after my first day back at school and I squeaked, shooting bolt upright as suddenly Mitsukuni-sempai hugged me too.

"Meg-chan Meg-chan, you must have been so scared! I would have been so frightened by all those mean people if I didn't have Taka-chan with me, but don't worry! Next time we'll definitely protect you, okay?" He beamed up at me before Haruhi walked forwards.

"That's enough everyone, let Megumi-chan go!" She ordered, giving Tamaki an earful as the twins lifted me up on either side and escorted me to a seat so that I was with them however every girl in the room was suddenly crowding close, whispering and asking me many things at once.

"Are your injuries better? Thank goodness there is no scar."

"Do you know how Kyoya-kun is doing? Is he healing alright?"

"Can you tell us what happened?"

"Did you really speak after you were rescued? Everyone's talking about it!" Surprisingly I felt eerily calm. Even though there were too many people and they were rather close my heart didn't skip a beat once and as I pulled off my glasses I smiled to them all, unable to find the words so instead I gestured to Tamaki who blinked but took my hand, kindly assisting me to my feet as I put back my glasses then drew him to another music room where everyone followed curiously. Almost instantly Tamaki caught on to what I wanted so with a smile he pulled off the covering to the piano as I picked out a cello, the girls all aweing in wonder as the club moved to another music room and they all took their seats which the guys had rapidly set up at mach speed.

With a nod to Tamaki we both started playing at the same time, neither of us needing to speak and I conveyed my feelings through my music, feeling confident and as I played a calm warmth seemed to spread through everyone as I fell into a peaceful expression, sitting next to the piano with my fingers dancing over the strings. Briefly I caught Tamaki's eye and we smiled at one another before continuing on. Through the mellow sounds of the cello I reassured everyone, even bringing a few tears to their eyes until Mitsukuni-sempai was bawling and eating cake simultaneously.

I loved to play and only now did I realise how much I loved to play for people. When I looked up and saw their smiles it was the richest reward imaginable and it made me happy in turn. So long as I could play, I did not need a voice to speak. I had plenty to say through the tuneful melodies of the instruments that I played. At the end of the small concert the entire club applauded as I curtseyed, Tamaki holding up my hand in a gentlemanly fashion before declaring that the club would continue in room three as usual. As everyone left with a cheerful thrum of whispers I stayed a moment longer to look around me, several decisions coming to mind.

"Megumi-chan, you have truly blossomed into the most beautiful princess." Tamaki said to me as he knelt down, placing a kiss upon the back of my hand before smiling warmly up at me. "We the Host Club shall always remain your dear friends and shall be with you for as long as you need us."

"Boss is right, you're pretty awesome Megumi-chan!" Kaoru and Hikaru grinned at me as Mitsukuni jumped up and down.

"Meg-chan is super cute and rescued Usa-chan from drowning and me from choking! Meg-chan is my favourite hero!"

"Yeah, you are very brave." Takashi-sempai agreed with a friendly smile to me as I blinked, touched by their kind words.

"I've never really had a proper girl friend before, Megumi-chan, but I'm glad that it's you. After all, _someone_ has to keep me from losing my mind." Haruhi said sarcastically and Tamaki instantly wailed with hurt, lamenting comically as the twins then teased him and Mitsukuni continued to run about the room. It was all so funny and just like them, I couldn't help it. I started to laugh. It was quiet at first but then my voice started to grow louder and louder until I was clutching my aching stomach whilst all heads slowly turned towards me in astonishment. Wiping away a tear, I turned my most serene smile upon them.

"Everyone…thank you!" All at once their jaws dropped and I think Tamaki fainted as he dropped to the floor. Even Takashi-sempai looked taken aback until all at once they rushed at me, everyone pulling me into an embrace whilst yelling together.

"SO CUTE!" After that it was all anyone could talk about back in the club though the members weren't told about my latest voice breakthrough. It was still a work in progress, but I felt more comfortable to speak these days and even had proper conversations with my parents, though strangers were still not possible. Or people that I found intimidating. I was working hard, however I was confident that soon enough I would be able to voice my opinions for all to hear.

The summer term swiftly came to an end and so came autumn where Kyoya was finally recovered enough to return to school though he had kept up with his assignments and studies whilst at home as Tamaki had visited him every day with the work. At first it was a little strange to see him back at school and walking the corridors. He received so many welcoming gifts from female admirers and host guests that it sparked my jealousy a little but I would quickly remind myself that I was the only one that he treated differently and that would fill me with smug pride.

Outside of the Host Club we did not interact much as we were always busy, however sometimes we would catch one another in the library and he would give me a secret smile reserved just for me. His real smile and it was the most beautiful thing as it made his entire face light up as if he were glowing with happiness. At the back of my mind, however, there was always that shadow of darkness. I had long since found out the entire plot that his father had created in order to throw down my father's company and overtake him in the industry and the business world and it was incredibly difficult not to confront Kyoya about it. In all truth I was just a pawn and either Kyoya was a mastermind at manipulating my emotions or he genuinely did care about me and was simply acting on his father's orders out of duty.

It was hard but I soldiered through, my own countermeasures already in place and ready for when they tried to spring the trap. I knew for certain of my own feelings for Kyoya and I would not allow this conflict between our families to tarnish that. Even so, I do not think I can remain engaged to him should things end poorly between our two names. My father will be furious when he finds out and that would be nothing compared to my mother. Compared to his little furnace she was a tsunami of rage. I did my best to arrange things so that no one would get injured or destroyed but it depended heavily on how things played out.

So with everything tightly guarded inside, I went through my life day by day until finally, that fateful day came.


	23. Chapter 23

It came some weeks after Kyoya's full recovery. My mother had regained much of her old strength and my father had trimmed down his figure a little because of the new diet I had placed him on. All this fancy food had been bad for his health as well as the alcohol so for now he was banned from partaking of it, not even one drop was allowed to pass his lips. To celebrate Kyoya's and my mother's recovery Yoshio suggested that we go to dinner together as a family and I could not help but have a sneaking suspicion that this was the moment.

Ensuring everything was ready I flicked out my hair and looked myself in the mirror. My hair had been curled slightly so that it was loose and wavy, one side braided next to my ear with a pretty flower and butterfly hairpin that my mother gifted me and with it I wore a dress of purple and cream, the two colours wrapping around my torso before flaring out into a stunning ball gown. When I stepped out of my room my mother positively squealed with excitement and gripped my hands, wearing a dress of deep green with her grey streaked hair elegantly twisted up. She looked so beautiful. Father wore his usual best suit though mother fussed over the tie before we went down as a family together.

Wearing such a dress I felt a little flouncy but for the venue, only such attire would do. My glasses were left behind at home as I had slipped in contacts and wore only the lightest of makeup to enhance my features and I must admit, I did feel and even look very mature. "Honestly dear you are fussing too much. I will be on my best behaviour I promise." Mother was saying as I gazed out the window. "But if I do not like this Ootori family then the engagement is off, you hear me?! I like the boy well enough as he is well mannered and is obviously completely in love with my little princess but the rest of the family have to meet my expectations!"

"Of course dear, of course but I promise you, they are all a very well to do family." My father answered as he lovingly coddled her, pinching her cheek and peppering her with kisses like they were young teenagers once more. You see? My mother always brought out the best in my father. The changes in him were astronomical. He had even arranged a little surprise after asking my permission and discussing it with me and I could not wait to get to the venue.

It was the grandest place in the city where only those with too much money to spend would go. Not only was it a restaurant with overpriced but excellent cuisine but it had its own casino and ballroom. In the wings, you could sit and eat privately where it was quieter but you could still enjoy the music which played every night by only the greatest of professionals in the world. Tonight, I was on that stage as there were also going to be scouts in the audience. I had already passed the initial rounds and won the right to perform there live with my mother's encouragement and my father's smile cheering me on.

With my life so rapidly and steadily coming together, I could not be happier even though there was this overshadowing darkness that hung in the back of my mind. Although tonight would be great, it was also going to be painful. Still, I must go through with it. Once we arrived I kissed both my parents then went backstage with my pass to set up, checking my cello over and ensuring that my accompanist had his music as we both warmed up. It was some time before I played however when the curtains drew back to reveal me on stage, I glanced up into the wings and saw my family and the Ootori family sitting at their table, some of them surprised to see me there.

Giving a bow I went over to my cello and removed the stand, not needing the music despite the difficulty of the piece and gave a nod to the pianist once I was ready. He entered first and I began a few bars later, my cello singing outward as I poured all of my emotions into the music. Please, let these feelings reach Kyoya as well as my mother and father. Let it reach everyone who carried a heavy heart. I want them to feel uplifted and reborn through the music. I want them to soar with these notes that I had practiced until my fingers bled. I did not know who the scouts were but I did not care, this was not about being noticed for my talent, this was about me reaching out to the audience and conveying my voice to them. Soon I was lost in the music, so at peace that I completely forgot that my world was about to change upside down. The room sparkled with the smiles of those listening, encouraging me further until I was sweating from the heat under the lights but I did not care, I was happy.

When my set finished I felt renewed as I stood and bowed, graciously accepting the applause and was even gifted a rose by a kind member of the audience which I took with a smile before giving one last bow and leaving the stage. I was handed a towel and I dried myself from the sweat, making sure I was presentable before I tugged at the gloves I was wearing, fixed the off the shoulder sleeves then went up to join my family. "Bravo! Well done my darling, you were spectacular." My father praised as a polite applause was given so I bowed gratefully as my face remained flushed from the heat.

"You make your mother very proud Megumi, come sit down and have some water, those lights are very unforgiving to the skin." My mother fussed and I was placed on her right hand side as she sat beside her father. I faced Kyoya who gave me a small and private smile before turned his face towards his father.

"It was a wonderful performance my dear. Come, let us toast and order food so that we may enjoy our time together as soon to be a single family." Yoshio declared, lifting his glass and we all did the same, saluting before drinking. I was grateful for the water but did not drink too much. Fuyumi happily chatted away to me, complimenting first my playing and then my dress, filling the silence as the rest of the Ootori save for Kyoya ignored me. Under the table I felt his foot brush mine, stretching out to reach me so I sat a little closer to the table and tapped his foot. In answer he smiled and our little game continued.

My father was reluctant to not join Yoshio for a proper drink however my mother sternly put him in his place, warning him that he shall have a cold bed tonight if he did not do as he was told and he obediently answered with a 'yes dear' and remained with carbonated water with lemon. For once I ate as much as I wanted as my father did not restrict what I ate and my mother insisted that I needed to eat more, being the rowdiest of us all and she quickly came to like Fuyumi very much, the two of them discussing topics such as fashion and the latest beauty trends whilst I listened. It was all going so well and I almost began to think that perhaps this was not the moment I had been dreading, however when the last course was finished, Yoshio stood and raised his glass.

"A final toast. To new friends, new partners…and new rivals." He said cryptically before exhaling. "I am sorry my friend Hiroshi, but I cannot keep this from you any longer."

"Father, is now the appropriate time?" Kyoya asked, suddenly going cold and he drew his foot away from me.

"Do not interrupt, Kyoya." Yoshio snapped before turning back to my father whose brow furrowed quizzically. "Unfortunately Hiroshi, it is time that I told the truth. At this very moment, all of your assets and even your corporation are being auctioned for after it was brought to the board's attention that you are no longer in a state of health fit to manage its profits and productions." Instantly my father's jaw dropped and my mother's face grew stormy.

"Wh-what? Impossible! My company is at peak output! There is no way that it could be sold without me being notified!"

"Take a look for yourself, old friend." Snatching the documents my father inspected them closely as did my mother as I sat perfectly still, listening carefully. "Do not worry, with the contract you signed you will be entitled to keep some of your fortune however most will have to be taken to repay the board for the lost revenue you have amassed in the past eight months." So that's how it was. Yoshio Ootori planned to put my father out of the business for good. It was clever and calculated. "Any moment now bidding will end and the Ootori family shall co-own your entire company in partnership with the Kamizawa group where we hope to establish a long lasting relationship. Your public company will become private and there will be nothing you can do."

"You backstabbing fiend! How dare you insult my family in this manner?!" My mother suddenly exploded, standing upright with a rush and nothing my father said would calm her down. "If you think you can get away with stealing my husband's company without any consequences then you have another thing coming!" She practically roared however Yoshio was unfazed.

"It is already too late. You should have chosen your allies more carefully, Hiroshi. Trading with foreign partners behind my back was not a wise move, especially when it was agreed that all advancements were to first come to me. You should not have double crossed me." My father stuttered, trying to find the words to explain as my mother's outraged blaze fell upon him also. "Kyoya shall marry one of the ladies of the Kamizawa family more suited to his rank and your daughter shall have to find another husband to pay for her support." My father grew angry at this, gritting his teeth as my mother snarled, both of them on their feet however when Kyoya spoke, everyone looked to him in surprise, including me

"Regrettably I cannot comply with this plan." Kyoya said casually as he pushed his glasses up his nose. "For the only woman in the world that I would ever consider making a formal attachment to is Miss Megumi Akiyama. She is the only one I can willingly accept." This took me by surprise and Fuyumi clapped a hand over her mouth as she looked to her father whose lips all but disappeared in anger.

"Insolent boy! You shall do as you are told or risk my wrath!"

"Risk it I shall." Kyoya responded before looking me dead in the eye. "Megumi is worth it. _You_ are worth it." He then smirked at me and I tilted my head slightly, receiving the impression that he knew something. I could not quite put my finger on it but it felt like he knew that I had been planning and plotting all this time. I think he knew that I knew everything that had been going to happen. Slowly I started to smirk back at him, tapping the keys on my phone under the table before snapping it shut.

I had waited until the last moment and now, it was time. A loud beep came from Yoshio's cell and he frowned, picking it up to speak with a biting tone due to his anger. "Ootori. Speak!" He began before listening. "What? Impossible? How could anyone outbid us at the last second before the deadline? We eclipsed any other competitor and that is five times the company's worth! Who was it?!" Before anyone else could utter a sound, I lifted my hands and began to clap. I clapped once, paused then continued in a slow and deliberate manner, shoulders shaking as I silently laughed.

"Congratulations Ootori-sama, you almost won a great victory tonight." Instantly everyone reacted the same way as all others, their jaws dropping as I spoke with perfect clarity and calm coolness, much like Kyoya as I kept my face tilted downwards whilst rising from my seat. "I shall admit it was difficult to find the evidence against you on my own but once I knew where to look it was not all that troublesome. I thank you for the challenge, it was good practice for me." I said to him as I walked around to come face to face with him, my hand resting upon my father's arm as he sat down. "However, I shall not allow you to touch my father's company. As you so impertinently reminded everyone, it was originally a public organisation however now that I have outbid you, it is mine to do with what I will since I have outbid you with the money I have earned through my software programming and my grandparents' inheritance." Encouraging my father I gave his arm a slight squeeze before sighing lamentingly. "So unfortunately for you, this means that you have been outfoxed. Please forgive my boldness." I gave him a devilish grin, feeling confident and powerful as I spoke. "Of course I also happened to infect your servers with a nasty computer virus which will corrupt every file that you have unless you agree to never go after my father or our company ever again. If not? Well, I should think you will soon understand the trials of being penniless."

"You…you…you…!"

"BWAHAHAHAHAHA!" Mother suddenly crowed, throwing back her head before she cracked her knuckles. "You should have known better than to go toe to toe with my daughter, Ootori. She may be sweet and innocent but she's her mother's daughter through and through." Wearing a near identical grin to me, our frightening smiles was enough to throw Yoshio off his guard.

"This virus, how do I know you are telling the truth? You could be bluffing." He asked me so I invited him to ask his technicians, giving them the information they needed to find exactly what they were looking for and once he had confirmation that all servers were infected, I saw Yoshio visibly pale.

"You are running out of time, Ootori-sama. It will activate in less than a minute unless I deactivate it." I warned him and Yoshio looked visibly torn before finally he exhaled and agreed to my terms. I drew out a contract from my purse and had him sign it, promising to end all correspondences that would bring harm to my father's company as well as a few other details before I then wiped the virus remotely from their system, saving them from ruin before I then snapped my phone shut. "A pleasure doing business with you Ootori-sama. Next time we have a meal together, I hope it is under better circumstances." For a while he simply looked at me, regarding me carefully before slowly an impressed smile touched his face.

"I am impressed by your intellect, young lady. Perhaps I was wrong about you. You would have made a fine wife for my son." Not wanting to speak of it, I gently tugged on my father's sleeve and drew him away, my mother coming with us as she delivered a final warning to the Ootori patriarch before she then placed her hand upon my shoulder.

"Well done my princess, you have outshone both your parents tonight. My clever girl, how did you know?"

"I suspected from the beginning." I answered with my voice returning to its usual soft and quiet tone almost as delicate as china.

"You have saved your foolish old man from ruin. Perhaps I am getting too old for this, I never liked politics anyway."

"Politics were never a problem when I was there hitting you on the head making sure you didn't but a toe over the line you dummy!" My mother berated him as he blushed guiltily and tried to soothe her with charming words, the two of them bickering however just as we reached the car I heard Kyoya calling after me, pleading with me to wait. I turned back to see him come charging down the steps and brushing past everyone else so I looked to my mother pleadingly. "Go on then, though you know that a relationship between our two families right now is impossible, yes? We need time to heal from this wound." Nodding my head I turned and walked towards Kyoya as my parents got into the car and waited for me there.

"Megumi, please believe me I did not want to do this to you, I tried to think of every possible way to..!" I cut him off with a kiss, rising up onto my toes as my fingers framed his jaw to keep him from moving away however almost instantly his hands seized my waist and pulled me to him. When he let me go, I gave him a smile as I took his hands in mine, gazing up at him sadly. "Do not tell me this is goodbye. We can work through this together, with our minds put together there is nothing we cannot achieve. Megumi, do not leave."

"Kyoya…" Murmuring his name softly I leaned towards him again, smiling richly as I thought of all our times together. This had to be goodbye at least for now. I need time to learn to stand on my own two feet and I cannot be leaning on him dependently for the rest of my life. I want to become a woman worthy of him, worthy to take the Ootori name and surpass all of his father's expectations. So with all the strength I possessed I drew back and stepped away from him but held onto his hand still, feeling a tear slip down my cheek as I turned and kissed his palm, lingering as long as I dared before I let go and turned my back.

"Wait Megumi, what does that mean? Please at least tell me! Megumi!" Kyoya called after me so as I opened the door I looked back, looking him straight in the eye as I smiled.

"It means…I love you." He faltered as I relaxed into the warm yet heavy feeling in my chest. "Kyoya Ootori."


	24. Chapter 24

After that day my father removed me from Ouran Academy much to the sadness of the Host Club and I did not see Kyoya again for many years. I saw Haruhi often, the two of us growing to be closest friends as well as everyone else in the Host Club. Tamaki, Kaoru, Hikaru, Mitsukuni and Takashi. They all became dear friends of mine and we visited one another even though we had moved far away. When I came of age and went to college, I moved away from my parents who were happily living in the countryside living a peaceful life. My father sold the company after I had returned it to him with a promise that he would make it up to me, however just to see him and my mother living happily for another few years was enough for me.

My father died three years later from heart failure and my mother followed the following year after her cancer returned and snuffed out the last of her life. Both times as they had laid dying, I had played them their favourite piece, the one that my mother had been playing when my father first met her. They now lay buried side by side and I inherited their country house and everything they left behind. I was sad to lose them but even as I cried, I thought of their loving smiles and how happy they had been together in their last years.

Instead of following in my father's footsteps I built up my own business in computer software and programming, developing some of the best antivirus firewalls and security software in the country. I became very rich before I had even finished college. I continued to play my music, going from hospitals to nursing homes to play for everyone who wanted to listen, though I also became a professional just like my mother. I played all across the world becoming famous in my own right and also very popular in the classical world. I became a patron to one of the music schools and donated thousands of instruments to poorer communities to encourage all children to learn music.

In all that time, I missed Kyoya dearly. I never forgot his face or the warmth of his hand holding mine and my feelings for him never withered away. It was devastating not being able to be with him, however I had heard that he had become engaged to another woman and lost hope in rekindling old flames so had not tried to seek him out. Other than in my love life, I did very well for myself. I never dated because I simply did not feel the same way about any other man the way I did for Kyoya Ootori, so I felt there was no point in trying. I was happy the way I was and these feelings were mine to keep, so I was content. Right now I was on a talk show where the host had been asking me questions about my latest visit to England and how I had performed at the most famous of theatres but had also used up my personal time to go visiting the hospitals there also.

"Tell me Akiyama-san, why do you continue to visit these hospitals and nursing homes when it must be so exhausting with your busy schedule?" She asked me and I immediately smiled.

"Because I love to see their smiles when I play. It is one of the reasons why I even started to play in the first place because it made my mother and father smile so much. When I play music I feel like I am reaching out and touching people's hearts and sharing my feelings with them. It makes me happy." The hostess awed with the audience at the sentiment and I blushed, fixing my glasses. They had changed over the years. They were smaller and more suited to my face so that they did not make my eyes look so small and the rims were not so broad so that they swallowed up my face.

"Speaking of feelings, Akiyama-san, you have not been known to date anyone ever since your debut. Tell us, are you too busy for love or is it because there is someone special in your life that you keep secret from the press?" She questioned and I chuckled.

"Nothing like that, not at all. I may be busy but that is not the reason why I am never with someone. In fact it is the opposite. I have been in love with the same man for a very long time and although he is probably married and has children by now, I still feel the same." I revealed and instantly interest instantly increased.

"Oh my goodness! Such a romantic notion! Do tell us, what is his name? Perhaps he is listening right now and you might rekindle your love and ride off into the sunset, as they say." The hostess suggested but I shook my hand with a lift of my hand.

"No I would not wish to impose upon his privacy, however I can tell you that he is the boy I fell in love with when I was in high school. Ever since then some…seven years ago now, I have always been very much in love with him and if anything it has only grown deeper since then. I do not regret walking away when I did because it was the right thing to do, I needed to learn to be independent you see, but I do regret not going back sooner." The audience and even the hostess were enthralled by the story but I would tell them no more, moving the conversation forwards.

When the time was up I left the talk show with my manager who babbled on about my schedule, going to my next appointment for work to meet up with my new partner and we had lunch together, establishing a relationship. He was a nice guy but very serious about his work with plenty of new ideas which we arranged to view next week when I returned to work completely. It was nice having my own company and running it as I saw fit, not having to answer to anyone and being generally successful however I liked it best when I met up with my friends, seven years having done many things to our lives.

Haruhi and Tamaki ended up dating and they were in a very serious relationship, planning to get married next year as they were finally engaged as Haruhi had put it off until she was absolutely ready. She made a very successful lawyer whilst Tamaki took over for his father after he retired. Hikaru and Kaoru started their own work in the states before moving back to Japan after they had established themselves there, the both of them being one of the most famous rich twins in the country. Mitsukuni ended up opening his own cake shop where I think he ate most of his own products but was so popular that it did not damage his finances and Takashi helped him. I had laughed the first time I had walked in and seen Takashi wearing a hat before I had put on an apron and helped them on their first day to serve customers as well as with the baking. They sold the best cakes in the city and even I was partial to a slice every now and then.

The only one I did not know much about was Kyoya. I asked about him from time to time however it was always the same. He worked in his father's business, has done very well for himself and is thinking of starting his own branch to further his family's influence. I only heard about his engagement after Tamaki had let it slip at a gathering however I had pretended not to hear him. After that I stopped asking, not really having the strength to ask about how his wife and family were doing.

"Miss Akiyama! Pay attention!" My assistant snapped and I woke up from my daydreaming. "You are set to perform for the last time tonight so may we _please_ have a little focus?" She was so bossy that Koharu but she helped me keep my life organised as I was often so overwhelmed with work I didn't know where to begin. That's right, this was the last day of my tour and I would be playing for an entire audience of people equal to my own social class. These people I struggled with as sometimes I worried I would not connect with but I always did somehow, even if it was by simply drifting off into my own world.

Upon arriving at the opera house I changed into a flowing white gown and let down my hair, arranging it into a pretty up do before securing it. I did not like to fuss with stylists and makeup artists and fashion experts as generally they irritated me and tried to hard. When I was on that stage I preferred to be as close to my natural self as possible so I always prepared myself. Sliding on my gloves I warmed my fingers before exhaling, checking the time. I could relax for a while before going out to greet the first arrivals.

The director came to retrieve me as well as the owner of the theatre, both of them bowing and welcoming me as well as thanking me for my time. "Oh no it is I who must thank you. I am glad to be here, thank you for having me." I insisted to them before touching my throat. It felt strange to speak so easily even after all these years. My voice remained quiet and soft most of the time unless I was speaking my mind about something important which was when I generally became as stern as iron and unyielding.

As our audience filtered in I greeted them with a smile, engaging in polite conversation however after a while, something caught my eye. It was just a glimpse however I could have sworn I had seen a man who greatly resembled Kyoya. It was only for a moment so I looked again, turning my head to see the back of the man's head walking with a woman beside him, her arm laced through his. If it had been Kyoya then he must be with his wife. Would he come to a place where I was performing? Perhaps if his wife had unwittingly asked him. Part of me hoped that it wasn't him though a small sliver wished with all my heart it was.

Shaking my head I dispelled the thoughts, turning around and continuing my greetings until it was time for me to head to the stage. I was surrounded by instruments and musicians whilst I took the centre with the cello, quietly warming up the strings and doing one last tuning before settling into place. The curtain raised and there was applause which then dimmed into silence before my bow started to glide over the strings, fingers moving gracefully as the lyrical voice expanded throughout the theatre for my solo before then the rest of the orchestra joined in.

I enjoyed myself completely, playing for several hours and at each interval I changed instruments including the shimisen. Other soloists came and played also so I was given time to rest and drink some water as the stage was very hot with all those lights. They were so bright that you could not even see the crowds except for blackness. I could feel the usual magic of the music as it reached out to everyone in the audience, lulling them into a night of peace and tranquillity until it came to an end and I took my final bow. This moment was always bittersweet as I was tired but also yearning to play more. After returning to my dressing room I quickly washed away the sweat and changed into an evening gown before going out to mingle as was proper. All the other musicians were there, shaking hands and bowing as they were complimented.

As a waiter passed I picked up a glass of champagne and sipped it to help me relax. I was still not overly fond of large crowds and this one seemed to grow larger by the minute. I drifted through quietly, passing by seemingly unnoticed until I received the strange sense that someone was watching me. It came first as a tickle on the back of my neck before a gnawing at my stomach which intensified as I looked around the room until my eyes locked onto another pair. Instantly my heart stopped beating and I almost dropped my champagne.

It was him. I _knew_ I had seen him here tonight and he was looking straight at me. No, he was now walking towards me. Our eyes never once left each other's as he made his was through the crowd and I became rooted to the spot unable to move, mouth opening slightly until finally he was standing right before me. He looked exactly the same except for being taller and his hair was combed back neatly and to the side. It was definitely him, he even had that same smile that used to be mine and mine alone.

"Kyoya?"

"Hello Megumi." He responded smoothly and I blinked before quickly trying to recover myself, turning so that I was facing him properly.

"It is good to see you, how is your health? Your family?" These were formal questions but I could not think of what else to say as my brain went completely lax and Kyoya seemed to know it as he chuckled and pushed his glasses further up his nose. He even wore the same glasses.

"All are well, thank you." I glanced around, thinking that his wife should be here somewhere however before I could ask it was Fuyumi who popped up and positively squealed.

"Megumi-chan! Look how pretty you turned out to be, my goodness aren't you dazzling? Don't you think so Kyoya? I always thought Megumi-chan was cute when she was younger but now she has grown into a fine young woman!" His sister did not even give him time to answer as Fuyumi grasped my hands tightly and beamed at me. "You must come to tea sometime, I shall make Kyoya invite you so I can hear all about what you have been doing. Oh! I have children now, three little ones and another one the way so I hope you'll come to the baby shower, I should love to have you there." She babbled before her husband appeared and informed her that the car was ready. "I have to go now but we shall see each other soon, Megumi-chan, okay?"

"Y-yes, that would be lovely Ootori-Shido-san." I responded in a daze and she chirped that I could call her Fuyumi before trotting away, looking not a day older from when I last saw her.

"My apologies, I guess after so long her energy is rather overwhelming." Kyoya said to me jokingly and I managed a smile.

"Did you not come with someone Kyoya-sempai?" I asked before touching a hand to my mouth and blushing. How should I address him? It felt strange to call him by his last name but being formal with his first name felt strange also.

"No, just my sister and her husband. It was a wonderful evening." He said before glancing to his left, noticing that some older peers where whispering whilst watching us. Ah yes. Our rather spectacular family dispute had been painted all over the news as well as the breaking of our engagement. "Miss Akiyama, would you care to join me for dinner? You must be hungry by now, I should think." He said whilst offering me his left hand and I looked to it. Only then did I realise there was no ring. No ring, no mark, nothing. Was he not married? What was all that about a fiancée then? "I would like it very much if we could catch up for these past seven years."

"Well, I _am_ hungry." I said before giving a small chuckle. "But remember it is my turn to pay the bill." His eyes widened as I placed my hand in his, thinking back to that day in the botanical gardens as I gazed at him affectionately. I was right, even after all this time I still felt the same way. But what about him? There was no coldness but there was not the same warmth as before either. As my coat and bag were brought to me I allowed Kyoya to escort me to his car and we were driven away and he asked me where I wanted to eat.

I decided for a simple restaurant which was neither overly fancy nor auspicious but delivered wonderful food. Since the standard wasn't as fancy Kyoya quietly slipped off his jacket, dismissed his waistcoat and cravat before unbuttoning his shirt so that he was more comfortable and he pulled on another more casual jacket that he had with him. The staff were used to me appearing in all sorts of dresses as it was my favourite place to go after a concert in the city so they smiled and brought me to a table. If anything they were surprised that I was actually with someone.

In all this time Kyoya and I had not spoken a single word to one another, falling into a slightly awkward silence. Or at least, awkward on my part. Together we sat down and I ordered my usual, Kyoya deliberating for a while before choosing his own meal and then we were left alone. Casually he laced his fingers together and leaned against his elbows, studying me carefully as I undid my hair and shook it out, feeling a little more relaxed after taking off my gloves too. "You look quite different to how I imagined yet at the same time, it is almost as if you have not changed one bit." He said to me before smiling and I gave a slightly nervous smile in response, uncertain of what to say. "I heard about your parents passing away. You have my condolences, I am sorry I did not get to know them better."

"Thank you. They were happy with the extra time they were given together." I managed to answer just as our drinks came so I sipped at mine as a means to busy myself. I had so many questions to ask him but I did not know where to begin or even if I should. This was a dilemma, I was blushing so much just by being this close to him. "Um…how is…your work?"

"It is going well, thank you. I have actually established my own branch of my family's industry focusing on more aggressive illnesses and working to cure them or at least provide a better quality of life." He explained to me. "I will admit, my reasons for asking you here are partially selfish. I was hoping I could persuade you to come and play at one of my hospitals as part of an experiment I am conducting. Based on the extraordinary recovery your mother made, I wish to see if other patients will react in the same way."

"Me? Play? Of course I will!" My eyes sparkled as I smiled brilliantly. "You needn't even ask, I will come any time you like as I am free until next Monday and after that I will be certain to make time if you need it." I instantly gushed before blushing and bringing myself back under control. "I enjoy making others feel better, so I shall do my best to help."

"Thank you, Akiyama, that is wonderful to hear." He smiled sweetly at me before lifting his head and noting that our first course was here. We ate in a more comfortable silence, me occasionally glancing up at him as things niggled at my mind.

"K…Kyoya-san?" I began however I quickly lost my nerve to ask him about the fiancée thing so I hurriedly covered my tracks. "I am very glad to see you again." As he lifted his gaze Kyoya nodded his head in agreement.

"Likewise, Akiyama."

"Please Megumi, I prefer to be called Megumi." I invited him and he accepted with a tilt of his head before continuing to eat. We did not speak much else at that time unless I asked him specifically about his work or Fuyumi's children. I was delighted to hear she had a son and two daughters and they sounded like such little treasures so I told him I would love to meet them. When we had eaten all we wanted I insisted on paying for the bill, rising up and placing my hand over Kyoya's as he reached for his wallet. "You promised that I would pay for next time. After this it will be your turn, alright?" Giving him a friendly smile I paid for our meals and pulled on my coat as it was chilly outside.

"Here." Kyoya said as he took my hand and placed a card into my palm. "If you are able to then please come to this address at this time, I am certain my patients would be glad to hear you play for them. My contact details are also there so feel free to call anytime. Megumi." He finished as he stood by the door to the car he had called for me. Momentarily he paused before brushing back a lock of my hair, reading my features so with a smile I wordlessly took his hand and turned my face, kissing his palm and instantly his eyes widened at the meaning behind it. Before he could recover or make a comment I slipped into the car and closed the door to be driven away, leaving Kyoya standing a little star struck behind me.


	25. Chapter 25

Gripping my violin case I entered the private hospital after informing the desk that I had been asked by Kyoya Ootori to come and perform, however the moment I gave my name the gate was opened and I was allowed inside. It was much like any other hospital though more comfortable in its seating and less intense. It was obviously designed to be homely. "Miss Akiyama, please come this way." One of the nurses said with a bow so I followed her to a ward where the patients lay in their beds looking miserable and detached, not a smile to be seen. "Ootori-sama, she is here."

"Thank you." Kyoya said before lifting his head, wearing a white lab coat and I had to bite down on my tongue to keep my heart from leaping out of his coat as he gave me a dazzling smile. "Megumi, I am glad that you are here. Please, play at your leisure and I shall simply observe. Do not mind anyone, you shall not be disturbed." He invited so with a nod of my head I walked towards the window and opened it, allowing fresh air inside after also opening the curtains so that it was bright though the sunlight was slightly cold due to it being winter. Once I had set up I tuned the violin, causing some patients to stir and look up until all at once I started to play.

Almost immediately people started to smile, sitting upright to listen attentively as my melodies fluttered through the ward and across the hospital. It really was like magic and I could not help but smile as I played my very best, feeling as if my mother and father were right there with me hand in hand and leaning against one another as I performed for them. Eventually everyone else faded away as the music carried me, lifting me high above the clouds until I was soaring the greatest heights. It was so liberating and as I finished my first piece, there was an appreciative clap so I bowed. "You are wonderful, my dear. Tell me, are you the famous classical performer named Akiyama?" An elderly gentleman questioned and I nodded my head and walked towards him. He politely asked if he could have a fiddle so I passed over the violin and he began to play a wonderful tune so I reached into my pocket and pulled out my ocarina, joining him and he laughed joyfully as we performed a duet together and once more everyone clapped when we finished. "Ah! It feels good to play again, these old bones have not lost their stuff." He said to me with a cheeky wink and I giggled.

"My daughter loves to listen to you play, Akiyama-san, she says that you are her inspiration." A woman said to me so I looked over and approached her, politely bowing in greeting as she touched a hand to her mouth. "Oh my, you are just so polite! Please, could I trouble you for an autograph, my daughter would be overjoyed to have such a memento." Happily I signed a piece of paper and gave the girl a message to continue playing with her heart, making the lady very happy as she hugged it to her chest.

"You remind me of my sister, she loved to play instruments as well before she passed away. Music was her livelihood." Gradually there was a carefree flutter of conversation on the discussion of music and I looked around to each smiling and contented face with pride. I had reached them. My music had reached their hearts. When I felt a hand rest upon my shoulder I looked up to Kyoya as he too regarded everyone before turning his eyes to me. With a smile I lifted my hand and pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose, giggling to myself at his expression.

I stayed the entire day at the hospital, paying particular attention to the children's wards and even gave a few lessons as they asked me to teach them how to play. It was wonderful to hear their laughter and I began to think that perhaps it was the laughter and the smiling which helped them to feel better on the inside. If I was helping even in some small way then I was satisfied I had spent my time well. "I take back what I said last night." Kyoya said to me as we walked side by side. "You have not changed one bit." He told me and I blushed whilst tucking my hair behind my ear. "Thank you for your time, Megumi. I do really appreciate this."

"I…I can come back. Whenever you like. Tomorrow even! I'll bring a different instrument and I'll volunteer with the children." I offered quickly before pointing to a poster on the noticeboard which asked for volunteers to sit with the children and spend time with them as a means to keep them from feeling lonely when their parents were not there. "I want to help you in any way I can, Kyoya-san."

"Just Kyoya. We are well past formalities, Megumi." Feeling a sudden rush I flew forwards and hugged his waist, taking us both by surprise but I held on for a few moments before drawing back and gave him a rather childlike grin.

"I shall come back tomorrow, Kyoya. Please get plenty of rest, you look rather worn out and it would be a shame if you became ill." I told him, noticing that his skin was a little pale and his eyes were heavy.

"You are more than welcome to come back but…I won't be here tomorrow. Is that alright? I apologise I won't be able to escort you around."

"That's alright, your staff are very wonderful and welcoming. I'm sure I won't get lost." I assured him before lifting up my violin case with a bright gleam in my eyes. "I shall see you again soon, Kyoya." With that I left him standing at the front doors, watching my retreating back as I hummed to myself. Today had been a good day and I was already looking forward to tomorrow. Sure enough it was a wonderful day spending time with every patient I could, going around visiting and asking after their health and playing any song that they requested though the children seemed happy enough just to see me. I came back every day for as long as I was able, remembering how I did the exact same thing when my mother was in hospital. I had gone back there many times over the years to play for the patients and the long term staff all recognised me instantly and welcomed me even when I dropped in as a surprise.

It was Sunday when I saw Kyoya again however for a while I had not noticed him. I had just left the hospital and had gone to the botanical gardens for some time to myself. Haruhi and Tamaki were coming back to town soon so I was excited to see them again as they were finally setting a date and Haruhi had asked me to be her maid of honour. It was a responsibility I took very seriously and I was already planning our trips and everything we would need to do to prepare for the wedding. There was a light breeze in the air so I took off my glasses and enjoyed the feel against my face. It was chilly so I was wrapped up in a winter coat with a fur lined hood. I did not believe in real animal fur being used for clothing so it was synthetic but it was very warm and fluffy, making me smile as I snuggled into it.

The flowers were not in bloom and the lake was frozen over however as it began to snow I still felt peaceful. This was my favourite place in the entire world as I had so many wonderful memories here. Time spent with my family, my friends, Kyoya, it was just the perfect place and I always returned no matter what time of year it was. It was particularly lovely in autumn also when the leaves turned the brightest of crimson, however the trees were bare now and the snow rested in their boughs so with a breath into my hands to warm them I rose up and began to walk, intending to return home.

Lifting my eyes I saw him walking towards me, looking out across the lake however we both stopped when we noticed one another. After a moment he smiled and approached me. "Hello Megumi, I thought I might find you here." He told me and instantly I felt my cheeks redden. "It's getting very cold, we should get somewhere warm before we both catch colds. May I escort you home?" He offered and without thinking I nodded my head, stepping forwards to walk by his side however almost instantly I slipped on ice, squeaking in alarm. "Careful!" A memory flashed across my mind as Kyoya caught me, supporting my back and holding my wrist to help me stand back on my feet. It was just like how he'd caught me from falling when everyone had descended upon the private pool at the hotel I used to live at. "It's slippery, here, hold onto me and I'll make sure you don't fall." With sweet concern Kyoya laced my arm through his and walked with me just like that.

We were so close to one another that I could feel his arm directly against mine as we walked, making a lump rise to my throat but I did not complain, walking by his side and basked in the familiarity of his presence. I'd missed moments like this. Kyoya waved down an ordinary cab and we slipped inside together with his hand holding mine to make sure I didn't slip again though I think he was just worrying for nothing, I was fine. Clearing my throat I gave the address to the driver who nodded and drove off with us. "Did you twist your ankle at all? Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes Kyoya, I'm fine." I assured him as I leaned back in the seat and rubbed my hands together to warm them. I should have worn gloves today, I had not anticipated the temperatures suddenly dropping as they did.

"Here, your hands will warm faster this way." Kyoya said to me and held out his hand, making me blink before he took mine in his and lifted them towards his face, fanning them with his warm breath before cupping his hands around them until I could feel my fingers again. "These fingers are very important, you should take proper care of them so that you can continue to play." He said to me and I blushed as every pulse of my heart made me more and more aware of how close we were. After that Kyoya fell into silence, leaning back his head and closing his eyes to rest and I took this opportunity to just look at him. My feelings for him were unchanged and I almost started to cry under the weight of them but I held myself firm, not wanting to appear silly in front of him.

When we arrived to the apartment complex where I lived Kyoya insisted on walking me to the door, paying the cab and sending him off. "Don't you need the cab to get home?" I asked him as we entered the building.

"I generally change drivers after each stop as it helps to avoid being so easily tracked." Oh that's right, Kyoya would be a very popular target for kidnappers or rival groups. He must live every day being careful and wary in case someone tried to hurt him. This thought made me think of my cousin Hideki who was still serving his prison sentence and would do so for a very long time. Seeing as I was the only family he had left I went to visit him from time to time though at first he had loathed me and called me every name under the sun until slowly he mellowed and actually spoke to me like a normal human being. He was still angry, aggressive and blamed me for everything, but I think he too was lonely and accepted that I was the last of his blood in the entire world. "Which floor?"

Blinking myself awake I pressed the button which would take me to my apartment. It was large and spacious with excellent security as you need passes and key cards to enter and all guests had to be registered. I'd zoned out a little at that but I do remember the guard greeting us politely. "This is me." I told him, exciting the elevator onto the outside walk which would take me to my own apartment, passing the other doors before stopping before my door. "Thank you for your company Kyoya, I shall see you again soon." I said to him with a smile and a bow before entering my code and swiping the card to let myself in, opening the door however before I had even turned around Kyoya spoke.

"Did you mean what you said on that talk show?" He questioned and I instantly froze in place, panic and numbness crashing into me all at once. "Did you mean it when you kissed my hand, Megumi?" Turning around I blushed, trying to answer him however I was so embarrassed that the words wouldn't form. Slowly he loomed over me, lifting his hands and gripping onto the door frame as he towered over me. He really had gotten tall, much taller than me. "You know you caused me great injury that day you walked away from me." His voice had turned dark and slightly intimidating as I stood rooted to the spot. "Do you remember how we made Haruhi pay off her debt after she broke the Renaissance vase? Well, how much do you think you owe me for tearing out my heart and crushing it?"

Gulping I stepped backwards from him to try and create some distance however Kyoya reached forwards and seized my arm to keep me from escaping, stepping inside and closing the door behind him as his glasses flashed brightly. "So, Megumi Akiyama. Since you owe me a debt, how are you going to repay me?" He asked before suddenly tugging me closer and grasping my chin with his fingers, a devilish smirk overshadowing his features. "With your body?" My heart thundered in my chest as I gaped up at him, uncertain of how to answer as his mouth descended upon mine and he kissed me passionately, different to all other kisses we had shared.

It was heated and aggressive, wet and hot as his tongue forced its way into my mouth and I squeaked as I had instinctively clung onto his coat for balance as my knees buckled until my eyes flew open and I pushed myself away from him after biting down on his lip. I fell to the ground with a gasp, struggling for breath as I covered my hand with my mouth and shivered slightly. That had been exhilarating, I could still feel the thrill shooting up my body as my stomach grew hot and fiery. "Well played, but I am deadly serious. You owe me for seven years of heartache and I am going to ensure that you spend the rest of your life repaying me." Kyoya said as he crouched down and I blinked, seeing a completely different man before me. He was smiling with his eyes as he looked at me, gentle and kind just as I remembered him. Reaching out his fingers brushed against my face before curling around the back of my neck whilst the other gripped under my knees to lift me off, his shoes coming off as he entered my apartment and my own shoes fell off my feet.

"I am sorry if I frightened you Megumi, but if you can believe it I was actually restraining myself." Restraining himself? You mean he was going easy on me just now?! "Seven years is a long time to love someone without touching someone, I think you can understand." He said to me and I felt my heart jolt and nearly give out as my red face blushed further and my head span as he set me down on the bed in a sitting position before then drawing back. "Megumi, I want you to be my wife more than anything else in the world." His words were serious as he looked me dead in the eye. "But I know this is rather sudden and unexpected, so please take all the time you need in order to reach your decision, but please consider it." With his pleading voice he gripped my fingers and kissed them desperately. "You make me kinder, softer, you remind me to be considerate of others and the way you reach out to others inspires me. I will treasure you always and never again leave your side. Please, think about it Megumi."

With that he reached forwards and kissed my cheek, stealing the breath from my body as I felt his tender kiss against my skin before he then pulled back and let me go, turning around to leave. As he began to walk away from me I panicked, not wanting him to go. I wanted him to stay with me, of course I wanted to marry him, was he an idiot?! Lunging to my feet I stumbled, still jittery however I maintained my balance and flew after him as he reached out for the door handle to let himself out but I flung my arms around him from behind, trapping his arms at his side as I sobbed into his back. "Idiot! I'll marry you, of course I'll marry you I don't need time to think about it!" I cried into him as I gripped onto him as tightly as I could so that he wouldn't escape. "I love you Kyoya Ootori, be my husband!"

I heard him inhale sharply before he pulled off my hands and turned around, looking down at me as I pulled back and rubbed my coat sleeve against my eyes after taking off my glasses to wipe away the tears. All the emotion spilled out of me as Kyoya looked down to me, shock evident in his face until finally he grabbed my arm and pulled it aside, closing the distance and kissing me again. There was that same mature passion however he was gentler this time, allowing me time to adjust and settle against him as I flung my arms around his neck and let him lift me off the floor as he stood up straight. "I love you, I've always loved you, I've _missed_ you Kyoya…" I mumbled weakly into him as I sank into his neck, never wanting to leave his embrace.

"Megumi…please don't cry." He whispered to me before carrying me forwards once more. "You'll make me lose control." I smiled into him as he let me down and I dried my face then put my glasses aside, smiling to him though he blinked. "Don't you need those?"

"I got laser surgery done a while ago to improve my vision. I can't see things very well at a distance but this…this is just fine." I told him with a smile, reaching up to kiss him again. Kyoya took off his coat and stayed with me that night, holding me in his arms and running his fingers through my hair until falling asleep together. When the morning came I cursed it as I had to return to work but Kyoya left with a kiss upon my lips, promising to be back later with a ring so that it could be official this time.

"Farewell, my bride to be." I glowed.

* * *

When Tamaki found out that Kyoya and I were engaged, he hit the roof with excitement. "Megumi-chan! You've finally found your true love once more! I'm so happy! Haruhi, we should have a double wedding!"

"No way!" Haruhi barked back and I laughed as she rolled her eyes but smiled to me. Everyone was happy and Mitsukuni insisted on doing our cake for us just like he was doing for Tamaki and Haruhi. When they finally got married I cried until my eyes were red and puffy, seeing the utter love between them and feeling it all about the room however I quickly dried my face and proceeded to play the music for their opening dance. They had asked me to play for them and I was honoured to be part of this special moment, Tamaki so head over heels in love that he could not take his eyes off of Haruhi who had grown into a beautiful young woman. I was glad that they were happy and, a year later, I was glad for my happiness too.

Kyoya's family accepted me readily, Yoshio even chuckling as I had reintroduced myself to him and actually embraced me, saying that I would make a much better ally than I did an enemy. He apologised for the past and expressed his condolences for my mother and father however I knew that they would be happy for me. No doubt my mother would say that it would make it easier for me to keep on eye on them this way and to always keep my guard up. I missed them dearly, however I could not feel sad anymore as I was so complete and fulfilled in my own life that I did not have room for grief as I was too full of love. His love.

After Kyoya and I were finally married we moved into a house together and almost immediately started a family of our own. We did not have as many as Fuyumi who ended up with six children, however Kyoya was happy with his two children. A boy first and then a girl two years later. They were the jewels of our lives and I played to them every night before they went to sleep, lulling them into slumber as Kyoya listened at the door. Our sleeping babies were so precious and cute, I couldn't believe that I had given birth to them. "Aren't they the cutest things?"

"Of course, they take after me." He teased so I swatted his shoulder. They both looked similar with Kyoya's dark hair however they both took my green eyes. They were so pretty I couldn't help but coddle them a little. I wished my parents could see them however I knew they were watching over us all in heaven, so I wasn't too worried. "They're asleep now, we shouldn't disturb them or they'll be up all night. Come, pay attention to me for a change."

"Greedy Kyoya." I scolded him softly as he led me by the hand out of the nursery however he merely smiled, lacing our fingers together as we walked side by side together. Smiling happily I leaned into his arm, feeling truly blessed. I loved Kyoya, I loved my children and I loved my life. I was so happy I felt like I was going to burst. Turning I rose up onto my toes and kissed his cheek, making Kyoya stop in surprise. Even now he always seemed taken aback whenever I kissed him, almost as if he was reminded that I really was there by his side. "I love you, my husband." Recovering I watched his smile rise to his face as he turned me into the wall and leaned against me so that our heads were resting against one another, glasses removed from his face as he gazed at me.

"And I love you, my bride." He murmured before kissing me sweetly and lifting my spirits to the tallest part of the sky and I stayed there with his arms wrapped around me, not ever wanting to leave this happy place of mine.


End file.
